


I've Been Waiting

by TeaLovingTooru



Category: Powerpuff Girls
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Hospital, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Graphic Depictions of Labor, Married Life, Obstetrician Buttercup, Pediatric Surgeon Butch, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-11 23:27:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 26,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28750695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeaLovingTooru/pseuds/TeaLovingTooru
Summary: Three minutes. Two lines. One stick.Well... not just one stick. She was looking down at three of them, eyes wide as she sat on the floor of the locker room, a gnawing feeling in her stomach. It was ridiculous, in her opinion, to put so much weight on one of those damned sticks. They were not reliable a hundred percent of the time. She knew that... she was literally a doctor who specialized in babies and pregnancy... they gave false results all of the time... but they rarely gave false positives... especially not three false positives.Or: Buttercup and Butch's journey to becoming parents as infant and child healthcare professionals.
Relationships: Butch/Buttercup Utonium
Comments: 3
Kudos: 30





	I've Been Waiting

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Valentines Day, everyone!!!
> 
> I hope everyone has a super love filled day and that it treats you all super well!!! This fic is a collab of sorts with my Insta wifey, @al.taire !!!! I had this concept back in September and after cooing about it, Al asked if she could make art for it and we decided to make it into a collaberation <3 I absolutely adored working on this and am so happy with how it came out!!! You can find Al's art to the fic on her Instagram!!!!
> 
> Again, have a very happy holiday and thank you so much for reading!!!!

_"The butterflies he used to give me inside turned into little feet."_

* * *

Three minutes. Two lines. One stick.

Well... not just one stick. She was looking down at three of them, eyes wide as she sat on the floor of the locker room, a gnawing feeling in her stomach. It was ridiculous, in her opinion, to put so much weight on one of those damned sticks. They were not reliable a hundred percent of the time. She knew that... she was literally a doctor who specialized in babies and pregnancy... they gave false results all of the time... but they rarely gave false positives... especially not _three_ false positives.

She let her head fall back against her locker, sighing softly as she looked up at the ceiling and let her mind run over all of the possibilities. She was keeping it, of course, there was no reason for her not to... she loved babies, if her profession was anything to go by and she'd seen so many women give birth to their own little babies... their own little babies who had their nose... and their daddy's eyes. She couldn't help but picture it, whether she really were pregnant or not. She had a stable career and a nice home that could be easily child-proofed... not to mention, she was lucky enough that she wouldn't have to do any of it alone.

Her hand moved up before she could even think of it, looking at the two silver rings on her finger with a soft sigh and a smile washed over her face unknowingly. Butch loved babies too... Butch loved babies and it was definitely a topic they'd entertained before, but they'd never really discussed _when_ would be a good time and now... Buttercup was sitting on the floor on some random day of April, looking at her wedding band and wondering silently if the baby would have his nose... she hoped so.

With the peace that was finally starting to settle in after the initial shock, she let herself picture it all. She pictured the look on his face when he found out. She pictured that excited smile he got when he was really happy about something, his lip twitching like he wasn't sure if he was allowed to be happy until she'd give him one of approval before he was all teeth... she prayed silently that the baby, if it existed, had his smile... that blessedly adorable little smile. She thought of decorating the nursery... knitting blankets and embroidering flowers and butterflies into the curtains as she sat in her chair, Butch on the floor of the empty room in their house, complaining loudly as he put together the crib... the very thought of that made her heart melt and the rest of the thoughts in her head weren't doing her any favors.

She'd made it a rule not to get emotional at work, but that was hard to follow for so many reasons. She worked with little ones... happy families... scared, single mothers too... and sometimes, things went badly, but no matter what, she tried to keep herself positive, offering reassurances and condolences to the mother or the family. However, in this moment, she let herself be a little emotional as all of the thoughts consumed her... pulled her in so deep that she didn't even notice the door opening or the man that came to stand before her until the sound of his familiar voice danced into her ears.

"Buttercup...? Babe, what are you doing in here?" He sounded a little amused, eyeing her as she sat on the floor instead of the bench a foot in front of her.

"I, um..." She started, but simply couldn't find the words, holding up the sticks to him. She let her eyes scan his features, waiting for a reaction.

His hand reached out curiously, grabbing the sticks and laughing softly when Buttercup twitched as their fingers brushed. "What are-"

He stopped short, eyes widening as he looked at the tests and then down at her.

"Are... baby, are these yours? Are you-"

"I-I think so? I mean... I took them all at the same time, but pregnancy tests aren't really that reliable, but they very rarely give three false-" She rambled, but was cut off by Butch getting on his knees in front of her and cupping her cheeks.

"You have to go take a blood test. And probably another urine test. But like... a good one." He said seriously, but then laughed. "Sorry, but you have such squishy cheeks."

"I'll beat the fuck out of you."

"Quiet, the baby might hear you."

She glared. "First of all, I might not be pregnant and it would be way too young to hear me."

Butch smiled softly, pinching her cheek before standing and pulling her up gently. "Yeah, well, it's true. You have squishy cheeks and I'm madly in love with you."

Buttercup's cheeks flushed and she rolled her eyes, dusting off her scrubs with a sigh and putting the tests in her locker. Butch stood next to her, leaning against the locker and staring at her the way he always did when he was feeling sentimental. At first, it had freaked her out, because she always felt like there was something on her face or in her hair, but over time, it became blatantly obvious that he was just looking at _her_. Butch, despite all of the things she'd thought when they were kids growing up together, was a really great guy... sure, he'd been a bit of a jerk to her when they were younger, but it became common knowledge that it really was one of those 'he is teasing you because he likes you' things.

The rivalry had, of course, turned into friendship as they finished up middle school and then friendship... turned into not so secret crushes and stolen glances across the classroom and the 'accidental' brushing of pinkies as they walked down the hall together. All of the little moments started to mean something until Butch finally and very awkwardly asked her on a date... the date was actually just a movie at his house in a really shitty blanket fort that he had put up right after school, filled with more blankets, pillows and snacks... even a whole pizza. And, because of all of those things, it was incredibly hard not to fall in love with Butch Jojo.

She'd fallen deep, which was something she only really admitted to her sisters after they'd bugged her enough for details during the first year of their relationship... but even now, everyday, she felt like she couldn't be more in love with the man she'd married and everyday, she was proven wrong. Buttercup hated being wrong, but... not when it came to this, because she loved being proven wrong when it came to all matters 'Butch'. He was her rock and moments like these made it strikingly obvious that he was never going to stop being her best friend, because even as she was currently feeling the stress, as well as the affection towards the idea of herself carrying a tiny Butch inside of her, he was taking her hand and leading her to take a blood test...

He gave her a smile as he tied the tourniquet and felt for a vein, humming softly as he swabbed her inner elbow with a cotton swab and stuck her, laughing softly at the small wince... it wasn't malicious or mean, she knew he thought it was cute... an odd trait to wince at needles as a doctor... just like how she thought it was sweet that he was terrified by them unless he was the one doing the sticking. After the vial was full and he taped over the small bleed, he helped her up and handed her a cookie, even though they both knew the amount of blood she lost was not going to affect her by any means.

Butch knew her well enough to recognize her anxiety... the little twitch of her fingers or the soft swallows she'd try to hide with a small cough or hum. He knew her too well, so he gave her the cookie, smiled as she ate it and walked with her to a supply closet, getting a test cup and sitting with her in the bathroom as she peed into it. It was weird, at some point, until it became second nature and one of the natural things... the supportive things she craved when peeing didn't feel like peeing... peeing suddenly felt like a test of her whole being... because this time, peeing meant finding out if they were going to add a new life to theirs. She couldn't tell how she was feeling. She was scared, as most women were when it came to finding something like this out when it was unexpected, but she also knew that she and Butch could do it.

They could more than do it. They were doctors, the kind of doctors directly related to children and babies... it was the perfect recipe for good parents and they both knew it. It was a good thing, to be in the position they were in, with medical degrees and extensive knowledge and practice when it came to babies and children... hell, even teenagers. They could do it. She _wanted_ to do it.

"Butch...?"

"Yeah, baby?" He smiled softly, arms crossed as he leaned against the wall.

"Are you... are you sure about this? Like. If I'm pregnant, will you be... happy? Do you... do you want a baby? Now? Are you ready for a baby?"

Butch smiled, moving over to her as she washed her hands, wrapping his arms around her waist and letting his palms press to her ever so flat abdomen, pressing his face into her neck and kissing gently at the skin between words. "You are my wife... my beautiful, very sexy, very smart and kind wife. Of course I will be happy... but no, I'm not ready. There's no such thing as being ready for a baby. You never know what to expect with babies. But what I do know..."

He paused for a minute and she met his eyes in the mirror, blushing softly at the smile on his face as his left hand slid under her scrub top, his hand a bit cold to the touch, not to mention the silver band on his finger. "Hm...?"

"I do know that I am ready to take that adventure with you. There's like... nobody more qualified than us to raise a baby. Even if it turned out to be devil spawn." He snickered and she gasped, reaching up and smacking him for saying it. "Sorry, sorry, bad joke. I know 'Rosemary's Baby' freaks you out."

"No, it's just... it's sad in a weird way." She sighed, but leaned into his touch. "I... I think I want this."

"Yeah?" He muttered softly, face pressing back into her neck and softly nipping her neck.

"Butch, we're not having sex in the bathroom..." She laughed softly, reaching up and softly brushing his hair out of his eyes.

"Mm... why not, we did yesterday."

"Yesterday is not today." She snorted, humming as she met his eyes again. "I just... we need to talk about this... please?"

"Of course." He smiled, pulling his hands away and gently taking one of hers as he led her outside and towards the lab.

The walk there was relatively quiet, save the sound of her heart beating in her ears. She held on tightly to Butch's hand, biting her lip and counting in her head to try and keep herself calm. She wanted this. Butch wanted this. She knew if it were positive, they were going to be ok; happy even. She also knew if it was negative that they could then actually have a nice, genuine conversation about having babies and then getting pregnant on purpose. She was an obstetrician and she knew she had good ovaries and eggs... she was perfectly capable and she was sure Butch was too... everything was going to be fine.

"Hey, cupcake? Please be gentle, you're gonna break my hand and you're not in labor yet. Plus, I kinda need a nice, non-broken hand... I am a surgeon." He teased, squeezing her hand back softly. "It's gonna be fine."

"Really?" She asked, the anxiety causing her voice to crack and Butch stopped, letting go of her hand and standing in front of her.

"Baby. I know you're scared. And that's ok, I'm fucking... man, I'm terrified. Of either option, but... I have you as my wife. So... I know I'm going to be just fine and so are you. And so will the baby, if they exist. You.. you are going to be such a good mom. A great one and I just know it. I think our kids will be lucky to have a mom like you." He smiled, reaching up and cupping her cheeks gently and letting his thumb stroke the soft skin beneath his palm. "I've seen it. The way you hold those little babies... the way you sing them to sleep when their mom is trying to take a nap... the way you just- God, baby, you're such a wonderful mom and you don't even have a kid yet. And I know that I could be a great dad, with you there with me."

Buttercup's face flushed softly and she laughed shyly, nuzzling into his hand and looking up at him. "You're gonna be the best dad..."

"Hell yeah I am... and they're gonna be the coolest baby on the block." He laughed, leaning in and kissing her forehead. "So let's go and get these tests done... maybe I can... take your mind off of it in an on call room for a while?"

"All you think about is sex." She snickered, rolling her eyes and taking his hand in her own as she continued walking down the hall to the lab.

"You would too if you had a wife as hot as mine." He teased, gently smacking her ass and laughing when she pinched him.

"W-We are at work!"

"That never stopped you before."

She rolled her eyes, though it didn't hide the fond smile that came to rest on her face, stopping in front of the lab window and handing the tech inside the blood vials and the cup, asking for them back as soon as possible, biting her lip shyly when asked for a name and murmuring a quiet 'Buttercup Jojo'. The man behind the desk gave her a knowing smile and threw Butch a wink before turning to the back and telling them he'd page one of them when the results were ready. They took their time walking away, Butch smiling widely the whole time.

"So... can I convince you to join me in an on call room, kitten?"

She paused, looking up at him for a moment and then back down at their hands, face flushing before nodding. "Yeah..."

He grinned widely at the agreement, leading her to the elevator and to the third floor, down the hall and into the on call room, locking the door behind him before quickly picking her up and pressing her gently to a wall, lips finding hers as if it was second nature... at this point, it was. She smiled into his lips at the thought, kissing him back with as much passion as he was giving it to her, groaning softly when he moved, feeling herself being pressed into a mattress in seconds. His teeth made for purchase on her bottom lip, always relishing in the moan he'd receive in response.

He pulled away, grinning down at her as he pulled his shirt off, kissing her once more before pulling off her own scrub top, lips then falling to the pale skin underneath, nipping and kissing at her and enjoying the reactions he received as he pulled the strings of her pants easily. The undressing really had become second nature... it was hot to her, in a very... perverted way, but also sweet in an even stranger way. She felt his fingers tucking into the waistband, pulling them down with ease before tossing them to the side, his fingers then pressing into her hipbones and cooing at her moan. He knew her body too well.

She felt his lips sucking soft marks into her skin and on the swells of her breasts as his fingers unclipped her bra... when had his hands even gotten back there? She didn't know, but she couldn't bring herself to care, her cheeks flushing as a pleasant heat began to rise in her core, silently wishing his lips were on hers so she had a way to muffle the sounds she was making. He could make her horrifically loud and they both knew it... she liked to try and keep it as quiet as possible outside of their home... but Butch loved to hear it no matter where they took their sexual encounters.

Butch knew her body in a way it almost seemed like it was her own and she knew she was the same way, able to draw out eager remarks and noises from him as well... she liked how comfortable that was as well as how easy it was to just fall in deep to his hands and lips... Butch, in his own right, was a god when it came to sex. Or at least she thought so. She didn't have anything to compare it to, but she doubted it could get any better than this... any better than hot lips pressed against her pale, freckled skin and fingers... fingers sliding under the waistband of her underwear, winking at her as he flicked them towards the pillow and pressed kisses down her chest... down her navel and oh God, there his lips were... right where she needed them most.

His hands parted her thighs easily, tongue sliding over her inner thigh as his eyes met hers and she felt her heart in her stomach as he gave a soft grin up at her. She'd seen that look a million times and it never failed to make her feel a bit breathless... especially not when his mouth was so close to her sweet spot with the intention of making her forget all of her troubles. He was intent on making her forget everything for the next hour or so, groaning softly as he let his tongue sweep over her core and she bit into her lip... this was going to be a long hour.

"B-Butch..." She moaned softly, hand sliding down to grip at his hair. "S-Seriously, please keep it cool..."

"My tongue is currently inside of you and you're asking me to keep cool...?" He teased, squeezing her thighs and licking a little deeper to emphasis his point. She gasped softly, tugging harder. "You know you like it hot."

"I-I don't want everyone in the hospital knowing what we're doing."

"Mm... not the whole hospital, kitten, just this floor." He cooed softly, looking up at her.

"Butch..." She laughed through a moan, eyes fluttering when she felt his teeth gently nip her inner thigh.

"I know, baby..." He muttered, eyes closing as he let his tongue trail back to her entrance, humming happily as his tongue slid over her folds, licking into her happily for a while more before pulling away and leaning up, pressing their lips together, knowing with amusement that Buttercup always shivered when she could taste herself on his lips... it was dirty for her to enjoy something like that, she knew, but she couldn't help it and he most definitely did not mind.

His lips didn't leave hers anytime soon, instead feeling his fingers trailing towards the throbbing heat that was currently between her legs, two sliding in without any resistance. Her back arched as his fingers crooked, pressing all the right spots as she groaned into his mouth, happy to have his lips to muffle the desperate sounds she made despite how hard she tried to silence them. He laughed softly at the way she shivered and pressed down his fingers, soothing her inner ache by adding a third finger, fingers starting slow and rubbing against her walls in a way that made her want to cry out in pure euphoria.

"Tell me what you want..." He asked as he pulled away, fingers still moving inside of her with practiced motions, his lips moving down to her throat.

"Y-You know what I like..." She mumbled, face flushed.

"I do... but I want to know exactly what you'd like right now." He smiled.

She didn't answer, instead grinding down a little roughly on his fingers and hoping he understood and didn't push her to answer verbally... she wanted this, but not enough to beg him to fuck her with his fingers, something he seemed to understand because she felt his teeth bite softly into her shoulder before his fingers began to move properly, thrusting in and out of her, starting slowly before gaining speed.

The moans fell eagerly from her lips, muffling them into her hand as his fingers worked her a bit faster, her left eye fluttering as she bit into her palm in a pitiful attempt to keep quiet... God, this man was so perfect. She felt the heat in her abdomen building, whining softly until she was coming on his fingers with a pleased moan, head pressing into the pillow as she gasped. She felt Butch's lips curl against the column of her throat, pulling back and kissing her softly before removing his fingers and slowly licking them clean, one by one, laughing softly at the flustered expression on her face... she'd never get over the sight of him doing that.

After getting cleaned up and situated, Butch laying behind her with his arms around her and pressing soft kisses to her shoulders, she couldn't help but relax, dreaming silently of the possibilities. Post orgasm clarity was scary at times, almost always enabling her to realize what she truly wanted in life... and what she wanted now, more than anything, was a little baby... their baby.

It was a nice thought... thinking of laying in bed as they were now, Butch's arms wrapped around her, but instead softly cradling her bump with a sort of tenderness that had once disgusted her, but in hindsight, it was probably because seeing such a soft expression on her brother-in-law's face as he cradled Blossom's own bump was just... freaky. Brick had no right to look that... soft. Ever. But the thought of that look on Butch's face...? Butch's hands on her stomach...? Giving her butterflies as the life inside of her pressed their little feet against her...? The thought was just so... awesome.

She laughed softly as her mind wandered, Butch humming curiously and nuzzling her throat. "Something funny...?"

"I'm just... thinking. About what it would be like if we had a baby." She answered softly, thinking for a moment before continuing. "You know... in my department, when a couple is... in for a test, we tell them to... be hopeful, but try not to get... too excited, so they don't feel disappointed if it's negative? I... I'm sitting here now, thinking about that advice and I just... it's fucking horrible advice. How on Earth am I supposed to think I may be pregnant and not... not think about all the things that come with it? Like... decorating a nursery or... or their first steps and laying in bed... all three of us? That's just..." She trailed off, her hands resting over Butch's on her abdomen and leaning into him. "It's terrible advice."

"Mm... yeah, that advice kinda sucks dick, but... I get it." He hummed, kissing her cheek softly. "But that just means that if it's negative..." His voice got a bit lower, one of his hands reaching down to tease at her again. "You get to go home and try again..."

She laughed out a soft groan, biting into her lip as she rolled her hips lightly. "Is that what you wanna do...?"

"Mm... well, I wanna do it whether you're pregnant or not, Buttercup Jojo." He cooed into her ear, nipping her.

With a roll of her eyes and a laugh she pressed against him more intently. "Still pouty that I practice with my maiden name?"

"No... well, yes. But only because I think it'd be cute if someone said 'Doctor Jojo' and we both responded at the same time."

"You... I love you."

"What can I say, doll, I'm a simple man." He laughed softly, gripping her hips and pulling her onto his lap. "Care to give this simple man a treat?"

"Sounds f-"

However, before she could finish, her pager went off and her eyes widened, leaning over the bed and pulling out her pager, huffing a breath to get the hair out of her face. "It's um... yeah, it's the lab."

Butch let her get off and the two quickly got dressed and made themselves presentable, bickering softly over the new constellations of hickies Butch had given her... needless to say, he was not apologetic and she wasn't actually all too upset, their hands still finding each other's as they left the room and got on the elevator, back to where they'd been. They'd picked up labs before... millions of times, but it was different when they were your own... when you spoke your own name to be picked up... when the papers in your hand held such delicate information about yourself... it felt a little scary.

"Wanna... look together?" He asked softly, looking at her with a hint of anxiety in his eyes... somehow, that made her feel a little better.

"Of course... it's the end of your shift soon, yeah?"

"Oh, I've been off this whole time." He laughed nervously, earning a glare from Buttercup.

"You should have been sleeping!"

"Well, I was going to, but then you showed me the pregnancy tests! I wasn't just gonna go home!" He threw his hands up, giving her a look.

"Ok... ok, well... my shift is done in... mm, five? So I guess we can just... get our bags and get going." She sighed softly, keeping the papers face down so they could open them at home, alone, in the privacy of their own home. She loved the hospital... but she didn't exactly want to get some of the biggest news in her life there... and if it was negative... she would probably want to curl up in bed with Butch and cry while burying her feelings in a tub of mint chocolate chip ice cream.

Butch, without being told, understood this and walked at her side, silent as they changed out of their scrubs and smiling as he helped her into her coat before kissing her head. The drive home wasn't a long one... only fifteen minutes if there was no traffic. God had apparently decided to give them a break because there was not another car in sight and she felt grateful they both had the next day off, barring any... complications. She hoped God would give them that too.

Walking inside felt strange… obviously something was different, the knowledge that there may be a third party being added to the household was pressing on both of their minds and Buttercup couldn't remember the last time they'd walked inside completely silent. The papers were placed on the counter as they walked to their bedroom, changing into pajamas and preparing dinner to shake off some of the nerves. It didn't work really, but she knew she needed to keep calm and not get too excited by the potential news, something Butch also picked up on, which was exactly why he was sitting on the couch, scrolling through movies on Netflix even though they both knew what he was going to pick. Her favorite comfort movie. They were both preparing in case of a negative response and that made her feel a bit better.

And so, when they finally met back at the counter, her fingers shook a little less when she flipped over the paper, Butch's arms wrapped around her middle as he read behind her and in the next three seconds, she felt so many things.

One.

Happiness.

Two.

Her body shaking with laughter.

Three.

_The closest she'd ever get to flying_.

Butch was holding on tight, laughing just as breathlessly as she was when he finally set her back on the ground, cupping her cheeks as he kissed her deeply, affection and joy bubbling in their chests as they looked at each other, foreheads pressed together and she sniffled weakly and felt warmth in her eyes, pouting when Butch laughed at her.

"Aww, baby, don't cry-"

She whined, burying her face in his chest and feeling a tear slide down her cheek. "Shut the fuck up, you ass..."

He smiled at that... she couldn't see it, but she knew... she could tell he smiled. His arms wrapped around her with ease, head tilting down to kiss the top of her head.

They stood like that for a long time. How long, they didn't know, nor did they care, but they basked in the silent glow of the words on that paper and the pure love that came from something so exciting. They hadn't really known they wanted it until they had it, hearts overflowing with emotions and minds supplying various scenarios full of each other and what life they were creating together, everything from Butch rubbing her back through a bout of morning sickness, down to counting their newborns fingers and toes for the hundredth time, because yes... there were ten of each.

"Mm... Buttercup?" It was Butch who burst the gloriously pink, sparkly bubble and she tried not to be annoyed by it.

"Hm?"

"I hope the baby has your smile..."

Oh... no, the bubble was still in there.

"I love you." She smiled up at him, eyes shining from the unshed tears they held.

"Mm... and I love you both."

* * *

As an obstetrician, Buttercup knew the next step... setting up a doctor's appointment. However, due to her incredibly busy schedule and the fact that her older sister was her gynecologist that really encouraged her to have it done at the hospital instead. She didn't believe in tempting fate, which meant she didn't want any of her family to know until she was in the clear and in the event that there was something wrong, she really didn't want to find out in front of her sister who would attempt to comfort her... which would obviously make it worse.

These concerns filled up her mind regularly and she felt the nerves settling in fast, even though she logically knew there was no reason to be alarmed. She and Butch truly were the perfect candidates to have a perfectly healthy child... but as a doctor, she knew that bad things happened all of the time and the 'what ifs' constantly plagued her mind. She hadn't ever thought that her job would make it hard for her to be a mother, but she was clearly regretting her confidence in the matter, because twenty minutes before they had to leave for the hospital, Buttercup was sitting up in their bed, flipping through flash cards and relaying to Butch many different kinds of pre and postnatal complications.

Her husband was nodding along, staring at her through the bathroom door as he brushed his teeth, eyes downcast and looking exhausted. Buttercup, however, had her eyes on the cards, reading them out, voice serious. "Cystic fibrosis affects one of three-thousand three hundred births. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia is one of every nine thousand. Duchenne muscular dystrophy if we have a boy is-"

She was, however, interrupted by a hand on her shoulder and the note cards pulled out of her hands. She looked up in surprise, about to speak before Butch threw the note cards over his shoulder, speaking before she could get too pissed. "Baby. Kitten. My sweet, beautiful, amazing wife. Stop. You're stressing yourself out. And the note cards... honey, you're acting like Blossom. You seriously just... fucking relax, because you're stressing us both out and honestly, this kid is more likely going to be affected by your stress than some obscure genetic disorder which can more likely than not be caught before you have the baby which means we can prepare. We are going to be fine. Now please get up and get dressed because we have to leave in like fifteen minutes."

She took a deep breath, nodding softly. Logically speaking, Buttercup knew he was completely correct... but it was still a bit difficult to turn her brain off. With a soft sigh, she stood up, walking to the chair in the corner of the room, slipping into her scrub pants and top, walking past Butch into the bathroom to brush out her hair and her teeth. "Sorry..."

He frowned softly, gently putting a hand on her lower back. "Baby... listen, I know you're nervous. I get it, I am too. Hell, the kid will probably have a stomach ache and I'll think it's like. Appendicitis."

She laughed softly, shaking her head and looking over at him. "I know I'm acting like. Kind of psycho, but... I don't know, it's weird to me... that I'm... we're having a baby. And I just wanna do it right."

"I know, I do too." He smiled, kissing her forehead. "But seriously. We're doctors. It's scary right now, but if there was ever anything really wrong we'd know what to do. We are going to be just fine and have a badass little baby to brag about at work and everywhere else. Haha, now I really can tell Brick my baby is better than his."

"What were you saying before? You had better sperm?"

"Yes."

"You're such an idiot."

"I am your idiot."

While it didn't completely go away, Buttercup did feel the anxiety ebb away slightly as she looked at Butch, nerves reminded that they could do this, no matter the odds and challenges. It wasn't exactly that she doubted she could do it... it was more that she didn't want to see her child sick ever. How ironic would it be? Two doctors having a child who was cursed with illness before they were even born and there was nothing they could do? She felt a bit helpless and Buttercup did not like feeling helpless. But looking at him, with his dopey smile and the sureness in his eyes, she felt at ease. "Yeah. You are."

He laughed softly at that, nodding and stroking her arm. "Mm. Want a bagel? Lightly toasted with cinnamon over your spread of choice?"

"With cream cheese." She laughed softly, wetting her toothbrush. "Thank you."

As Buttercup brushed her teeth, she let her mind rest on that simple question. 'Want a bagel?' was so much more than a question about a bagel. Maybe not to anyone else and perhaps it was just because she was feeling sentimental... searching for reasons to calm herself down so she could relax on the baby related anxiety. It didn't matter, because in the end, it was more than a question about a bagel. Because the following question... the way Butch knew that she liked them only lightly toasted... with cinnamon... it was such a small thing to know, but it spoke so much.

She had a husband. A loving husband, who knew she liked cinnamon on her lightly-toasted bagel... with a husband like that, she just knew that they could do it. They could raise a baby, even with all of the long shifts and all of the late nights... be it heart murmurs, asthma or anything scarier, Buttercup knew that they could do it. So long as Butch was by her side with that stupidly sweet smile and those even more stupidly pretty eyes, she'd be alright.

She didn't realize she was crying until she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She pulled her toothbrush out of her mouth, rinsing with water and staring into the watery green pools that were her eyes and smiling. This was what it was going to be like, wasn't it? It was going to be getting emotional over bagels, crying over how amazing her husband was... and someday soon, it would be tiny feet kicking against her insides in a fashion she knew would occasionally get annoying... but it was still their baby in there, getting stronger each and everyday.

She washed off her face carefully, brushing out her hair and tossing it up before she made her way downstairs, finding Butch in the kitchen and smiling. She bit her lip as she walked up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and letting her cheek rest against his shoulder blade. "Hi..."

"Hi, baby." He answered, the smile clear in his voice before he turned, holding what was, in her opinion, the perfect bagel. He leaned down, cupping her chin with his free hand and gently kissing her. "Minty fresh."

She laughed, humming before kissing him again. "Did you make coffee already?"

"You know you can't have coffee." He hummed, raising an eyebrow.

"Not for me, genius." She snorted. "For you. You have a day full of surgeries. You need coffee."

"Oh. No." He shook his head. "I'll be ok."

"Uh... you're about to work a thirty plus hour shift..." She raised an eyebrow back at him. "No offense, dearest husband, but you're a dick without coffee after a while."

He laughed, shrugging. "Point taken, my perfect wife. However, I decided that if you cannot have it, I won't drink it out of solidarity."

She bit her lip, looking up at him, eyes watering. "What the fuck, that's so sweet."

He cooed at her, lips pouted. "Don't cry, baby... it's ok."

"Y-Yeah, you're just... damn." She sniffled, burying her face in his chest. "I love you."

"I love you too, kitten." He murmured, kissing her head. "Now let's go. We have an ultrasound to get to."

The ride to the hospital was mostly silent... if Buttercup groaning while eating a bagel and Butch laughing were considered silent. It was comforting, in a way, that nothing had really changed just because they found out they were having a baby. They still had their morning routine... they still had their jokes... and they still had amazing, wonderfully hot sex... she silently, actually silently, told herself to nip that thought right that second because if she walked into that room aroused, she'd be utterly mortified. She knew, of course, that things would change once the baby was actually there with them. Hell, it would probably change when she actually started showing... mainly because she knew she'd get morning sex far more frequently and Butch would be too distracted by joking to the bump than to her... she didn't mind that thought though and instead found herself smiling about it as they walked into the hospital.

"What are you smiling about, sunshine?" Butch asked teasingly, bumping their shoulders gently.

She looked up at him, smiling. "Well. Just thinking about how fucking dumb you're gonna act when I start getting huge."

He laughed, shaking his head. "Please, you're not gonna get 'huge'."

"I will if the baby has your big ass head." She teased, but grabbed his hand, leaning against his arm. "But really... I kinda... can't wait."

"Wait for what?"

"To get big. To see it. What I look like pregnant." She hummed, walking into the elevator so they could go up to the fourth floor. "It's exciting."

"Oh? Never put a balloon or a ball under your shirt before to see?" He snickered, squeezing her hand.

She laughed, rolling her eyes. "Yes, I have, because of Bubbles and Blossom when we were in high school and you broke the condom and we thought I was pregnant. Remember?"

He nodded. "Yes, ma'am. I do, I do remember our first time very well and I also remember that incident being why Blossom decided to become a gynecologist."

"Yes, it was. But this... actually being pregnant is so different." She sighed softly, looking up at him. "I know you think it's silly, but it isn't silly to me. I... I want this."

"Baby. I do not think it's silly. Not at all. I think it's sweet. I think you are sweet."

"Really...?" She bit her lip.

"Really." He smiled, squeezing her hand and leading her out of the elevator and down the hall, letting a nurse know they'd set up an appointment. They were shown to a room, Butch smiling as he watched Buttercup climb onto the table. "I can't wait either. To see your beautiful bump... to see that wonderful pregnant lady glow. I can't wait to see our baby... who I hope takes after you."

Buttercup smiled brightly at that, holding his hand gently. "I hope they take after you."

"Well. We have just about the same hair and eye color so... we're safe to bet on what those will be... but seriously. If they don't have your smile, I don't want it." He teased, rubbing his thumb over her hand.

"Don't say that! That's not funny!" She frowned, pouting.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He apologized, kissing her knuckles. "But... I do mean that I hope they have your absolutely precious smile."

"And I hope they have your nose."

"Oh? Before you broke it or...? After? Because I don't know that I want you breaking my baby's nose." Butch teased with a snarky grin.

"I-" She gasped. "You're such an ass! That was an accident!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Butch smiled softly, kissing her hand again. "But you have to admit my joke was funny and that learning how to skate was fun."

Buttercup laughed, biting her lip. "Yeah, it was, but-"

Before she could finish, the door opened and Buttercup smiled at the sight of the doctor. "Robin... thank you for this. Seriously, I couldn't handle Blossom knowing yet... especially if there was something wrong."

"Don't even worry about it, Butters. I know how Bloss can be about babies... especially babies that belong to her sister." She laughed, humming. "Do you know how far along you are?"

"No, I was hoping you could help us figure that out." Buttercup answered, leaning against the pillow.

"Yeah, of course." Robin answered, moving to set up the ultrasound machine. "If I can't see the baby through the abdomen it probably means it's too soon, so we'll have to do it vaginally."

Buttercup nodded, rolling up her shirt and accepting two blue protective sheets handed to her to tuck into her shirt and her pants. She took a deep breath, swallowing softly and looking over at Butch, who was already looking her way, smiling reassuringly. She smiled right back at him, squeezing his hand softly. "Ok... I'm ready."

Robin gave her a soft smile, grabbing the prewarmed gel and uncapping it. "This might be a little cold at first, but it'll get warm after a second. Though I'm sure I don't need to tell you that."

After another nod, the gel was squeezed onto her abdomen and she shivered, but after Robin began moving the transducer it began to warm up, Robin pressing some keys on the computer and keeping her eyes on the screen. After a little searching, she smiled, pointing to a peanut shaped speck. "There it is... that's your baby."

Buttercup and Butch had their eyes glued to the screen, her breath catching. She felt her eyes water and she laughed softly, bottom lip trembling. "Oh my God... it's... Butch, t-that's our baby..."

Butch laughed softly, his own eyes looking a little wet as he lifted her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles gently. "Yeah... yeah, it is."

  
Robin smiled softly, humming. "You look to be about eight weeks... do you want me to see if we can hear the heartbeat?"

Buttercup and Butch both nodded in excitement, causing Robin to laugh as she clicked another few buttons until a fast beating sound began pouring out of the monitor and Buttercup let out a soft squeak of a sound, squeezing hard on Butch's hand. He stood up, laughing and staring at the screen, eyes watering. "Dude, holy fuck."

Buttercup laughed softly, lifting Butch's hand to her lips and looking up at him. "I know."

"Babe, listen to that. You're growing a heart. That's- our baby has a heart. We- We're having a baby." He laughed, before looking at her in surprise, a tear finally falling from her cheek. "Oh my God, there's really a baby in there."

"Oh, Butch..." She smiled warmly, kissing his hand. "Yeah, it's... there's really a baby in here."

Butch nodded shakily, finally sitting back down and looking at the monitor. "It's- Rob, I need to ask you something, ok?"

She looked a bit surprised at the address, looking back at him. "Um... ok?"

"I obviously know it's totally way too early to tell, but... what do you think the baby is?" Butch asked, a grin growing on his face. The two women looked at him in confusion, Buttercup raising an eyebrow. "C'mon, humor a daddy here."

Robin looked at Buttercup for a moment before looking back to the monitor and then back to him. "Ok, uh... well, I think it's a boy."

Buttercup blinked at that, nose scrunching up without even thinking about it. "No."

Butch blinked, looking at his wife. "What...?"

"It's... I don't think it's a boy. I don't know, that sounded... it sounded so strange." She cleared her throat, looking at Butch. "I think... I think it's a girl."

Butch looked at her for a moment before a warm smile spread over his face and he leaned in, kissing her gently. "I think so too."

* * *

Buttercup found herself sleeping more than she ever had. It happened the second she got home... it happened when she was on her breaks at work... hell, it happened while she was doing paperwork. The point here being that Buttercup was exhausted recently and while the extra sleep was a bit appreciated... the best part about it all was waking up next to Butch, sun peeking inside from the slats of the curtains, her eyes meeting his in a moment that never failed to leave her completely breathless.

There was something about it, even after all the time they'd been together, that gave her butterflies about seeing Butch's sleepy face. Maybe it was the way his eyes were always half-lidded in the morning before he took a shower... maybe it was the dopey smile he wore before giving her gentle morning kisses before she'd push him away so he'd get up and brush his teeth for even more... or maybe it was that blessedly fluffy hair, resting around his temples and curling in the sweetest way ever. Buttercup thought she might be a bit obsessed... she loved it when his hair was down.

So perhaps that is what encouraged her that morning. It was rare for her to wake up before Butch, but when she did, she took great pleasure in letting him wake up on his own, taking the time to trail her eyes over him as he slept. He was always so relaxed in his sleep, something that hadn't always been true, but now was a blatant fact. His face was smooth, cheeks flushed with sleep like a kid and lips slightly parted... she couldn't help but smile at the fact that his arms were still wrapped around her, where they belonged.

Mornings had always been a nice thing in their relationship, ironically, considering how much she hated getting up. However, moments like these and all of the rest reminded her of why exactly she did wake up. She woke up for herself. For Butch... and very soon, their baby. With this thought in mind, she reached up, gently brushing her fingers through the inky black curls resting over his forehead and feeling so completely happy she couldn't even imagine it getting better, but she knew it would eventually... because one day soon, they'd have a beautiful baby to share the mornings with... her pretty green eyes blinking up at them, those little curls bouncing and that precious little nose wrinkling with laughter... yeah, she couldn't wait... she was also completely certain it was a girl.

She was smiling even brighter at those thoughts... thoughts of tiny, socked feet running down the hall to see them in the morning... she was so into those thoughts that she didn't notice the sleepy green eyes looking up at her until the voice of the person they belonged to broke the silence. "Well good morning to you, gorgeous... what's the pretty little smile for?"

"Morning..." She smiled, leaning forward and kissing him gently. "And... I dunno, just thinking about us... and the baby. I swear to God, if she doesn't have your hair... I'm going to be so pissed."

Butch made a face, snorting. "Dude, why? My hair sucks balls."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." She cooed teasingly, but let her fingers continue raking through his strands. "I like your curls... they're cute."

"I'm a dude. Dudes aren't supposed to have 'cute', curly hair. I'm a man, babe."

"You literally called me a dude five seconds ago and I'm ninety percent sure my hair is curlier than yours."

"Yeah, but we think it's a girl so that's fine."

"Your toxic masculinity scares me." She teased, laughing softly when Butch pushed her onto her back, his cheek resting against her still bare chest. "Never mind, you're a big baby."

"Yes, yes, I am. Proud of it, when I get to bury my face in the worlds best tits."

"I thought you said Bubbles had the best tits in high school." She laughed, her fingers still buried in the curls. She just couldn't get enough.

"Yeah, well, I only said that to piss Boom off and get him to admit he liked her. Besides, Bubbles doesn't let me put her tits in my mouth. And hey, I said that before your tits came in, so I hadn't seen the promised land yet."

"Did you just compare my tits to a holy landmark?" She asked in amusement, raising an eyebrow.

Butch hummed, burying his face between them and laughing when she did. "Can you blame me? They're so soft... and pretty... and you should let me put them in my mouth more."

"The only one stopping you is yourself, Mister Jojo."

Butch grinned, taking that as an invitation and about to just that when she lightly smacked the back of his head, earning a soft growl before he looked up at her. "What the hell."

"After we go to breakfast with the family and tell them the news." She smiled, looking at him innocently.

"That was your ploy to get me into the shower without trying to fuck you in it, huh? So I could get over the now massive boner I have?" He shook his head. "Dick."

"Mm... I wouldn't say massive." She teased, cooing at him.

"Betrayal! For that, I get to put your tit in my mouth for five seconds." He said decidedly and Buttercup laughed as he took his 'prize', staring up at her and wiggling his eyebrows. With an exaggerated sigh after the five seconds was up, he pulled away and got out of bed. "I suppose I will take a shower now... since my cruel wife only gave me five seconds of 'titty time' before sending me into the cruel world of disappointed hopes."

"I hardly think the shower is a 'cruel world of disappointed hopes."

"You fucking would think that, you little goody-two-shoes." He teased, taking her hand and helping her up.

"I'm not taking a shower with you, Butch, you'll try and-"

"Don't worry, baby. I won't try and seduce you." He laughed, pulling her into the bathroom. "I just wanna play with your hair. Since you got to play with mine."

She blushed, looking up at him. "Only if you wear your hair down today..."

"Baby-"

She gave him a soft pout, making her bottom lip wobble slightly.

"Ah, dammit. Fine. Now get in the damn shower." He grinned, softly smacking her ass and laughing when she smacked him for it. He turned on the shower to a warm heat, watching as she climbed in and smiling softly.

"What the hell are you looking at me like that for?"

"You're so beautiful..." He sighed softly, climbing into the shower behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist, pressing a soft to her shoulder as his hands gently pressed to her abdomen. "You're starting to show... and already, pregnancy is such a damn good look for you."

Buttercup smiled, leaning into his chest with a soft sigh as the water poured over her skin. "You think...?"

"Oh, babe, I don't think. I know." He hummed, kissing her skin gently. "You're gorgeous... absolutely gorgeous. And our baby will be too. Because damn, if she's anything like you, she'll be like a tiny goddess."

Buttercup laughed, her hands resting over his. "Easy, Romeo... we don't even know for sure it's a girl."

"Well then, we'll probably have a very pretty son." He hummed, letting her go and carefully turning her around, cupping her cheeks and tilting her head back so the water could seep into her hair. "I love your hair..."

She didn't say anything, simply closing her eyes as she relaxed into the warmth of the water. "Mm..."

"Feel good?" He asked softly, his hands reaching up to comb through the now wet curls, making sure it was all wet for the next step.

"Mmhmm..." She yawned softly, leaning into his palm.

Butch only smiled in response and let himself get lost in those inky black curls for a while, gently rubbing her green apple shampoo into her scalp... combing his fingers through her ends as he used her conditioner... he loved being able to do this for her, watching as she nearly fell asleep from the way his fingers played with the strands. She was adorable. Maybe that was why she did it... picked up the soap and began lathering up his body once they'd both rinsed out their hair... let him 'seduce' her as he said he wouldn't. Maybe it was because of the way he touched her, or maybe it was simply the softness of the morning that had seeped in and made her crave even more intimacy than what they'd already had.

After their adventures in the shower were finished, Butch recognized the look on her face... cheeks slightly flushed and eyes droopy... she was sleepy. He smiled softly, wrapping his arms around the warm body that was now in the process of getting dressed for the day. "Kitten... we don't have to do this today. You look tired."

"I am tired... because I was tired before and then you fucked me in the shower and played with my hair so now it's worse." She growled out, but her body betrayed the annoyance in her tone as she leaned against him, her hands softly clutching at his sweater, voice going soft the next time she spoke. "It has to be today..."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah... I want them to know. I mean... I'm happy... you're happy... I want us to all be happy about it together." She yawned, blinking up at him sleepily. "So... I need some decaf coffee. Please. It will trick me into thinking I'm awake."

"I see." He smiled, softly squeezing her side. "Well, we could pick some up on the way, if you want. Or I could make it for you downstairs."

She blinked, thinking over it in her head for a moment. "If we pick it up... can I get something with caramel and whipped cream in it?"

Butch laughed and nodded, kissing her forehead. "Anything for my baby mama."

"Literally never call me that again, I'm your wife."

"Yes, and the mother of my children." He grinned, his fingers combing through the wet ends of her hair. "I think the nicknames kind of cute. Plus, the baby will call you mama or whatever so that's a plus. Gotta used to calling you that so I can be like 'Hey, mama said no... aww, dammit, don't use those eyes on me, those are mama's eyes too!' Y'know?"

Buttercup blushed at that, rolling her eyes. "I was thinking 'mommy' but yeah... that's... it's kinda cute, I guess."

"Oh, yeah?" He hummed, pulling away so she could finish getting ready. "You wanna go that good ol' traditional 'mommy and daddy' route? Wouldn't be the first time you called me daddy."

Buttercup went bright red, holding up her middle finger. "Fuck off! It was one time and it was a dare!"

"Keep telling yourself that, princess."

"I absolutely despise you."

Butch laughed, kissing her temple. "You might wanna put on a jacket. It's chilly out today. And dry your hair."

"Butch... I've got this. I know how to get ready. I'm an adult." She snorted, shaking her head.

"Yeah, yeah. I can't help it. Your my wife. And in there?" He hummed, poking her abdomen gently. "In there is our little munchkin. And I would die for them. Kill for them. Throw myself in front of a bus for them."

"Well, I think the bus thing kinda goes with the dying part."

"Bold of you to assume I could die from being hit by a measly bus. I eat buses for breakfast." He grinned, flexing and wiggling his eyebrows at her.

She laughed, rolling his eyes. "Ok, superman. Go and make me a glass of apple juice. Please."

"Whatever the queen desires."

"I thought I was the princess."

"Not for too much longer. The babe shall take your place and I, the King, shall rule with the most lovely queen in all the lands." He teased, making a kissy face at her.

"You're so ridiculous." She hummed, but she was smiling all the while.

With one last kiss, Butch found himself going down the stairs, making her a glass of juice and humming before he grabbed her a few grapes from the fridge. She got antsy in the car now if she didn't eat a little something before they drove, something Butch found both mildly concerning and also very cute, because she'd end up pouting until he'd stop at the gas station and get her a pack of gummies or a bag of M&Ms.

Buttercup didn't really snack before, unless she was stressed, but now she tended to snack quite a bit. It was kind of cute... the way her cheeks had gotten slightly more squishy and he took great pleasure in cuddling her, something he would not admit for fear of being hit. She was hot... sexy... gorgeous, baby weight or no and Butch felt very lucky to see it. She was finally starting to show, but you'd have to know her body like the back of your hand to notice, or be looking for something different... which Butch was. He was watching, looking patiently and feeling his heart ache with pure, livewire level affections towards his wife. Nobody should look this cute while pregnant... barely pregnant, but still totally pregnant.

He was smiling to himself as he walked back up the stairs, thinking of how much he loved kissing her cheeks... how much he loved squeezing her waist. She was beautiful and he knew that he was lucky to have enough braincells to find such a beautiful and badass wife. He was feeling a bit affectionate, walking up behind her as she dried her hair, kissing her head and offering her a grape that she eagerly took from him, bopping her head to whatever song was playing inside of her head as he sat on the counter in front of her.

Buttercup only smiled at that, leaning forward and kissing him, the sound of the hair drier blocked out all hopes of properly hearing what the other said, but Butch spoke anyways, pressing kisses all over her face and smiling at the soft sound of her laughter in his ear. Damn, she was cute.

When she was finished, Butch looked at her softly, reaching out and grabbing her hips gently. "Hey."

"Hey." She smiled, leaning against the counter.

"I love you."

She bit her lip, smiling softly and humming. "Mm... I love you too."

The rest of their morning went like that until they were ready to leave, Butch watching her in slight wonder as she brushed out her hair, put on her eyeliner... hell, even as she brushed her teeth. How could an actual fucking angel like her even exist? However, now in the car, it appeared it was her turn to watch him, because he could feel her bright green eyes on his face and could nearly feel the smile she was pointing his way.

"You ok, babe?" He asked softly, reaching out for her hand at the last red light before the restaurant.

"Yeah! Yeah, I'm totally good. A little nervous, but excited. I'm excited to tell them about the baby and then it doesn't have to be a secret and I can ask Blossom about all of the crazy shit going on with my body. Like... why can't I stop snacking? Why do I have to pee every nine seconds? Why do I-"

"First of all... you know all of the answers to that question, but I understand." He laughed softly, continuing to drive when the light changed. "I get it, baby. Kinda tempted to ask Brick how he dealt with sympathy weight... dude was a pencil the whole time and I feel like I've gained ten pounds since we found out you were pregnant."

"Here's a thought... don't eat every time I do. Resist." She laughed softly, reaching over and poking Butch's stomach. "You're still flat as a board... very sexy and appealing. But if you gained a dad pouch... I would not complain about that either."

"Oh yeah? You'd like it if I had a little more meat on me?" He laughed, humming.

"Yes, because then I wouldn't be chubby alone and I could play with it."

"Wow. It's all superficial for you, huh?"

"You know it. I obviously only married you for your looks and massive di- oh, hold on." She paused, picking up her phone. "Hey, Blossom. Hm? Yeah, no, we're parking right now. I know we're late. Dude, it's been five minutes. Blossom- yeah, yeah, ok, we're coming. Yeah. Love you too. Bye."

"I take it that was.... Blossom?" He joked, humming as he took the keys out of the ignition.

"What gave it away?"

"Just a lucky guess." He hummed, getting out and going to open the door for her. He pouted when she already had gotten out. "You're no fun."

"I let you fuck me in the shower. You don't get to complain." She glared softly. "You can start opening the door for me when I can't see my feet anymore."

"You say that like you didn't enjoy it. But fine. I'll wait." He hummed, taking her hand after he made sure his wallet was in his pocket.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Understanding that I wanna feel like myself still until I can't." She said softly, an odd tone to her voice that made Butch stop short, squeezing her hands.

"Baby, you're always gonna be yourself. Whether you can see your feet or not." He smiled. "You're already doing so well with this pregnancy. It's kinda hot."

"Please do not tell me you have a pregnancy kink."

"I-" He blinked. "You're sick."

"You're the one saying I'm hot for handling it well!"

"I always think you're hot, you dick!" He groaned. “I was trying to be sweet!”

"You're always sweet." She rolled her eyes, smiling softly. "And I appreciate it... really. It's kind of scary. I mean... yeah, I take care of babies and shit for a living but... at the end of the day when I go home, it's just us. No baby... and it's not going to be like that anymore. In a while, we'll be leaving our jobs with all those babies and all those sweet little angels and we'll have our own to take with us. I'm excited... really, really excited, but it does get a little overwhelming. Sometimes. So for now, I'll open my own door and... only force you to get me snacks and drinks."

He laughed softly, humming and lifting her hands to his lips and pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles. "I'll be your errand boy as long as you like. But for now... our family is waiting for us... and we should probably not keep them waiting any more. You know that your dad won't let anyone eat until we're all there."

  
She nodded at that, knowing how pissy her sister and her baby got when they were denied super sugary breakfast for any longer than necessary. The two made their way into the restaurant, greeted by the hostess who told them to head back to the same table as always... the one the girls had frequented with their parents since they were kids... the loss of their mother then substituted with the new presence of boyfriends turned husbands. Their father had at one point told them no to such arrangements... refusing to share the tradition he'd made with his all four of his girls... until that four turned to three and it became blatantly obvious that they needed that extra support to make that now empty fifth chair at the table seem less... scary as five chairs turned to eight... that fifth chair remaining empty in her honor.

Butch thought it was a beautiful thing, something even that Buttercup had told him made her feel less lonely, to see that chair with that same fluffy purple sweater wrapped around it... their mother's favorite Sunday sweater and that's exactly why Butch understood just how and why it was so important to Buttercup that she say it at their monthly breakfasts at Granny May's. In her eyes, that was the only way she'd be able to share it with her mother... even if she wasn't really there and that was something Butch did indeed understand very well.

And while Buttercup said no to opening the car door for her, she didn't say anything about pulling her seat out for her, which is probably why she only gave him a smile instead of groaning in complaint, looking up at him patiently until he took his seat beside her, the rest of the table saying their hellos and everyone settling in, menus opening and everyone chattering.

Blossom addressed her first, smiling. "So, we gonna do our typical mimosas? Bubbles said she was excited because we always seem to have to work after and it gets ruined!"

Buttercup cleared her throat, laughing awkwardly. "Yeah, no, sorry, I can't..."

"Aw, you have to work, don't you?" Bubbles pouted, squeezing Boomer's hand and looking at her sister curiously. "That sucks!"

"No, um..." She swallowed, looking over at Butch who silently took her hand and nodded. He saw her eyes slide over to that empty chair, the familiar purple flowers on that same old sweater engrained into her memory. "I just kinda can't drink right now because I'm... pregnant."

Everyone stared at her in shock for a moment before Blossom squealed with excitement, getting up and hugging her tight, asking her all kinds of questions that should not be asked at the breakfast table, even if she was her gynecologist. After everything had been settled and everyone offered their personal congratulations, Butch could tell Buttercup felt better that it wasn't a secret anymore and that meant he felt better too. Buttercup's smile seemed brighter than he'd seen it in a while at the way she could now converse with her family, speaking of the small details, even showing them the ultrasound photo she kept in her wallet... everyone was so incredibly happy. Even if Blossom did momentarily bitch her out considering she was her doctor and Buttercup didn't say anything to her.

"So... Butch." Her father spoke to him, causing his eyes to shift away from his wife and towards the man. "I take it you're excited. I seem to remember you being rather fond of children."

"Is it my job that gave it away?" He laughed, looking at his father-in-law. "But yeah... I'm really excited. When she told me, I thought I was going to pass out. In a good way. And well, we were at work, so I would have been fine if I did!"

He laughed, nodding. "Yes, I would think you'd be most safe there. My daughter is a wonderful doctor. To babies... to grown adult men who happen to be her husband is... unseen."

"No offense to her, but I hope it stays that way." He said teasingly, wincing when Buttercup pinched him, glaring at the comment.

"Yeah, not like I had to give you stitches like four months ago because Boomer hit you with a baseball or anything."

"Yes, my wonderful suture queen."

"Bite me."

"I will if you don't watch out."

John only laughed at that, humming as he took a sip of his coffee. "You know... Birdie would have really liked you, Butch. You have the same sense of humor as my wife."

Butch felt Buttercup tense next to her and he held her hand a little tighter, giving him a kind smile before looking over to his wife. "Are you ok...?"

"Yeah... yeah, um." She swallowed, looking over to her father with slightly wet eyes. "I actually had a thought, daddy... if it's ok with you. And... Blossom and Bubbles."

"Hmm?" He smiled at his second born daughter, curiosity evident. "What is it, sweetheart?"

"Well... I just thought... if it's a girl... I wanted to name her after mom." She said, voice going a little quiet as she said it, as if the very idea was shameful. Butch bit his lip, holding onto her hand a bit tighter. He saw her eyes trail over Blossom and Bubbles faces next, taking in their expressions anxiously.

"I think that's a lovely idea, Buttercup." John said, his own eyes slightly wet at the thought. "Girls?"

Blossom was smiling at her sister, reaching across the table and squeezing her hand. "Of course..."

Bubbles had a similar reaction, nodding enthusiastically. "I think that would make mommy totally happy!"

Buttercup gave a relieved smile, biting her lip as she reached up and wiped her eyes with her free hand, laughing softly before turning back to Butch. "A-And if that's ok with you..."

"So long as her middle name is after my mom, I'm more than happy." He smiled, leaning in and kissing her cheek. "Now let me help you fix your eyeliner. You messed it up."

He wet a napkin with some of the water in his cup, gently wiping the corner of her eye until the wings were straight again and he smiled, nodding. Blossom laughed at that, clicking her tongue. "You totally got the best husband."

Brick scoffed, currently holding their two year old son who was pulling at his hair and demanding pancakes. "I'm being abused by our two year old because he got your appetite and Butch is a God for fixing her eyeliner? Favoritism."

"You're right. He is my best friend." Blossom nodded, leaning over and kissing Brick's pout off of his face and gently scolding their son for pulling daddy's hair.

Boomer snorted softly at the display, sighing. "I'm nobody's best friend. What did I ever do?"

"You act angsty." Bubbles answered, but pulled his hand to her lips and kissed his knuckles. "But it doesn't matter because you're wrong! You're my best friend, Boomie!"

"That is... sickeningly sweet." Buttercup hummed, laughing softly.

Butch nodded, looking at her. "Yeah... but I get it. No offense to Blossom, but you're my best friend too."

"And you're mine."

* * *

As time passed, Buttercup found herself loving her husband and their child more and more every single moment. Her baby and subsequently her bump seemed to be growing everyday and she felt a heavy sense of pride at the idea... their child was strong and healthy, which was all she had wanted. So now, the morning of another appointment, her heart felt full and she felt incredibly... nostaglic, somehow.

She couldn't sleep, probably due to the excitement that had settled into her mind and what all was to come. Today, they found out if they were having a boy or a girl and she'd be lying if she said she didn't hope it was a girl. The truth was, as much as she loved the idea of having a little boy and giving her father another grandson... she hoped it was a girl. Maybe it was the little pink and yellow socks that had done her in... maybe it was the baby bottles with bees or frogs printed on them... or maybe it was the dream of Butch helping their hypothetical little girl with her hair in the morning before work. She didn't know, but she was excited.

So now, at a quarter past seven, she was sitting in the living room, pastel yellow crushed velvet yarn at her side as she made... another baby blanket. She'd picked up the task when she was an intern, mainly because she'd been told that it could help with dexterity and muscle memory when it came to surgery. It was true and she was grateful, for sure... especially now so that she was making a seventh blanket for their unborn child. It always seemed to help her curb her anxieties or excitement; gave her something to focus on other than whatever was pressing on her mind. In fact, she got so into it at times, that she didn't even notice when a very sleepy Butch wandered into the living room, rubbing his eyes and sitting on the floor in front of her, his hands gently reaching out for her socked feet and gently massaging them.

She jolted a bit before she looked down at him, a smile spreading on her face when she processed it was him, her fingers moving without having to even look at the yarn. "Hey... what are you doing up?"

"That's my question..." He hummed, voice still deep and sticky from sleep, eyes drooping as he looked up at her, rubbing circles into the bottom of her feet, knowing just how sore her feet had been recently. "The bed was cold..."

She felt her heart melt a bit at that, biting her lip. "I'm sorry... I couldn't sleep and I didn't want to wake you up with the clicking..."

Butch shrugged. "I don't mind if the clicking wakes me up. But dude, I married you so we could sleep together. Literally and otherwise. Waking up without you sucks. Picture this... I roll over to wrap my arm around you and bury my face in your tits... and I faceplant into the bed. Cruel and unusual punishment."

Buttercup laughed softly, reaching out and gently playing with his hair. "Mm... I'm sorry, baby."

"That's right. I am your baby." He huffed, resting his forehead against her knees. "Why couldn't you sleep though?"

She bit her lip, humming. "Was too excited... because... well, you know, we find out if it's a girl or boy today."

"Well then... I guess it's a good thing we have the day off so you can rest afterwards... even though you probably won't want to, because you'll force me to take you to the store so you can buy the baby's first outfit."

"You're correct." She grinned, putting the yarn and needles into her basket and softly cradling the bottom of her bump as she carefully eased herself up, Butch catching on and getting up to help her. "Now come on... let's go lay down."

He blinked, tilting his head. "But I thought you couldn't sleep..."

"I can't. But you can." She smiled, walking up their stairs towards their bedroom, softly holding onto his hand.

"I'm weirdly turned on by that."

"Yeah, that is really fucking weird." She snorted, rolling her eyes as she climbed onto the bed, fixing her pillows so she could sit up a bit. She patted her chest softly, smiling when Butch grinned, climbing back into bed and resting his face in her chest. "Mm... warm?"

"Mmhmm..." He sighed softly, his arm resting over the bump as his fingers lazily drew hearts into her skin. "You have really soft tits."

"I know." She smiled, her fingers sliding into the inky black locks of his hair. "And you have really soft hair."

"Thanks for not saying I have a soft dick or something."

She laughed, practically feeling his own smile in the room. "You're welcome."

Butch smiled softly, nuzzling her chest gently, a soft sigh falling from his lips as his eyes closed, evidently not trying to put all his weight onto her and the baby, even though they both knew she would be just fine. Butch rarely had trouble sleeping now, as opposed to the stress induced insomnia he'd suffered from when they first got together... after his own mother died. She felt lucky, in some way, to have been a part of the progress he'd made... the way now he could lay with her and be out in seconds. It made her incredibly happy to think that and as she looked down, she realized just how therapeutic it was for him, because even now, he was fast asleep and softly clinging onto her and their blankets.

There had always been something relaxing about watching Butch sleep. Perhaps it was because at first, it had been some of the only times that she saw him look completely peaceful... not so cautious or waiting for any and everything to go wrong. Mainly because Butch had been sixteen when his mom died and like Buttercup, he'd had an unexplainable connection with his mother... and he'd taken it the hardest. She remembered the first night they slept in the same bed... they'd been seventeen and after several days of coming to school with increasingly dark under eye circles, Buttercup had insisted he call if he couldn't sleep, he finally did.

There'd been a serious note of panic in his voice, the shaky breaths way too labored to be normal and she'd found herself tiptoeing to her father's bedroom, gently shaking him awake and pleading with him to let her go over to Butch's apartment, if only to give him some tea or try and hold him until he slept... she remembered him taking the phone from her, speaking two sentences to Butch, all encouraging before looking back up at her and asking if she needed a ride since it was so dark... it was moments like that that had made her understand how wonderful the men in her life were... and again that same night when a very vulnerable Butch had held onto her, not too tight for her own comfort, but tight enough that she felt lucky to have felt his heart rate slow back down until his breathing evened and his face relaxed... she'd been glad it was a weekend... glad that Butch had been able to sleep until three in the afternoon with her fingers tucked into his hair and softly brushing fingers over his brow and cheek bones... he was very handsome... then and now.

Because even now, years later, she found herself doing the same thing, fingers playing with the fluffy black hair that fell over his head and into his face, gentle in the way she'd brush it out of his eyes, letting her thumb brush over the incredibly faint spattering of freckles that rested on his cheekbones. She felt happy to be the main source of his comfort... a person he knew he could trust enough to let his guard completely down in front of. It was so strange to remember that they hadn't been sharing a bed for their entire lives... they hadn't been married all that time either, but the blessed feeling of normalcy that came with a long-term relationship now clouded their previous lives apart... and she loved that for them and their baby.

She smiled at the very thought... she was doing what she had always hoped to do... she was bringing a baby into the world in the perfect environment. A happy, happy home. Their child would have two very happy parents, incredibly in love with the each other and dedicated completely to her and the union that came with pure, unadulterated love for the very small infant who would one day grow up into a person she just knew would be beautiful, inside and out... she may be biased, but she had no doubt that they could raise a very happy child together... that she'd even entertain the idea of a second baby some day, if she felt they were stable enough to... she didn't doubt they would.

Hormones were a bitch for sure, a soft laugh falling from her lips as she realized her cheeks were wet, wiping her eyes and trying not to jostle Butch before leaning down and pressing an ever so gentle kiss on his temple, resting her cheek on the top of his head. She felt so damn lucky. No matter how gently she moved though, Butch's eyes still blinked open and she felt bad that he'd only gotten about half an hour more sleep.

"Baby... why are you crying...?" He asked sleepily, frowning up at her in concern, looking like more of a pout from the haze in his eyes. "Are you ok...?"

She laughed softly, sniffling and nodding as she rubbed her eyes again. "Yeah... I just... love you. And our life."

"Oh..." He hummed, the frown turning into a sleepy smile. "I love you and our life too..."

"I'm sorry I woke you up... again."

"It's cool." He shrugged, nuzzling her neck softly and looking over at the clock. "We should probably get ready anyways."

"I guess so..." She hummed softly, neither of them making an effort to move for the next ten or so minutes until Buttercup finally felt the urge to get up and empty her bladder, Butch moving off of her before she could push him. She loved him... but nothing was allowed to get in the way of her morning piss.

Butch laughed as she quickly waddled towards the bathroom and she growled under her breath, throwing a toilet paper roll at his head through the open door. "To think I was going to make you breakfast. And then you throw ass paper at me."

Buttercup huffed. "You literally put a bagel in the microwave for twenty-five seconds and then put a fuck ton of cream cheese on it."

"And I do it like no one else." He teased, smiling. "But if you want to go out, we can get some real breakfast."

"Mm... no, I am good with your bagels..."

Butch hummed. "I thought we established I was not making you breakfast."

"Butch, I am growing a fucking foot right now." She glared. "Make me a damn bagel."

"Say please."

She glared.

"Buttercup Lynn Jojo."

She groaned, rolling her eyes as she flushed the toilet and moved to wash her hands. "Please...?"

He grinned, kissing her cheek. "I would have done it anyways. I just wanted to practice my dad voice."

"It's very nice. Worked."

Butch laughed, humming before going downstairs again so he could make her a simple breakfast.

Buttercup stayed upstairs, humming softly as she looked in the mirror, gently pulling up the baggy fabric of Butch's shirt, letting her left hand rest on her now exposed abdomen. She bit her lip softly, turning to the side and staring at the steadily growing bump, a smile starting to grow on her face. She'd started showing a while before, but now... it was really starting to look like she was pregnant and something about that made her heart incredibly warm.

At some point in her life, Buttercup had wondered if people had been right. If the aggression she'd sprouted after her mother's passing would make it hard for her to be a mother... that she had become too cold and untrusting. She had thought it was true for a while... mainly because she had thus convinced herself she didn't want kids... that they were dirty and gross and... well, really fucking annoying. However, after that utterly ridiculous pregnancy scare she and Butch had experienced in high school and seeing that look on his face... hearing his comforting words and assurances that she wouldn't be alone for a moment, no matter what the results were, had made her change the condition. She didn't want children... unless it was with a man who would always be by her side... and in the event that she too met an untimely death, that man would stay with their children like their father had... Butch was and always had been that man.

She knew she was lucky. She had a husband who was devoted in every way possible to her life and the life of the growing human inside of her, be it bringing her decaf coffee between his surgeries or making her bacon at three in the morning when it hit her how badly she wanted it, even though he was exhausted and no matter how much she insisted it was alright... he did it. And it wasn't because he felt like he had to. It wasn't because he'd watched his brothers with their respective wives... it was simply because he loved them.

Butch loved her and their baby with all that he had and it had always been enough to make her blush and have to tousle her hair with a huff before she could face him... but in the past few months, it was more than enough to make her eyes water and cause deep shaky breaths to fall from her lips as she looked up and blinked them away... but sometimes, she would let herself cry.

He'd taught her a long time ago now that crying wasn't always a bad thing. Tears showed all kinds of emotions and nothing had proved that to her more than her pregnancy. She cried at the drop of a pin and at small, ridiculous things... literal small things like that first tiny pair of baby socks she'd bought to hang onto and look at when she needed a reminder that it was real. She was pregnant and she was going to have a baby with the best man she knew... other than her father, but they were kind of tied.

The feelings that were spreading through her chest and sending shivers over her body convinced her to go downstairs if only to hug Butch as tightly as she could and she needed to do it right that second, because the tears on her cheeks and the tenderness in her chest told her she wouldn't forgive herself if she didn't. She saw him at the stove, shirtless as he was every morning and the smell of bacon hit her nose and she couldn't help but let out a watery laugh. He always made her bacon when she cried and that made her cry a little more.

She moved to stand beside him, resting her head on his shoulder and looking into the pan at the absolutely wonderful looking strips of meat. He clearly had heard her sniffle though, because he set the spatula aside for a moment and looked down at her. "You ok, kitten?"

Buttercup gave a weak nod, softly rubbing at her eyes. "Yeah, um... just one of those mornings, I guess..."

"Oh, yeah?" He hummed, kissing the top of her head and taking the spatula back in hand. "Guess it's a good thing I made bacon then, huh?"

"Definitely." She mumbled, smiling at the small laugh she got in return before she gently clung to his arm. "I wish... I wish you didn't have to work after our appointment..."

"Yeah... I wish that too. I'd love to have a celebratory glass of wine that whatever little human that's growing in there is a badass." He smiled softly, looking at her from the corner of his eye. "So... still leaning towards a girl...?"

"Mmhmm... I just... I don't know. But yeah, I do." She answered, stealing a piece of bacon that he set on a piece of paper towel after it cooled. "You?"

"Yeah. But... I know I'd be happy either way. Either ballet slippers or cleats, you know?"

"Uh... what if our daughter wants cleats?"

"I didn't say which was which, dick head." He laughed, shaking his head. "I know well enough from you chasing me around in your cleats."

She grinned, nodding. "Fair point."

"Yeah, now go and get dressed and then come and eat breakfast."

"Ok. I'll bring you down a shirt."

The rest of the morning went by in a similar fashion, Buttercup getting emotional over the smallest things and Butch comforting her in the best way he knew how... to let her talk and kiss her when the tears or sadness went away. She appreciated it... she also appreciated the way he held her hand in the car on their drive to Blossom's office. Butch was her rock, in every single way and no matter how many times it came to her in her mind, she always got surprised by just how lucky she was to have someone like him and she was happy she'd gotten a bit better at expressing it.

They didn't have to wait for very long... mainly because that was a perk with having your sister as your gynecologist. They kept themselves busy she'd walked in, dropping their conversation when she arrived, smiling and walking to the sink to wash her hands before putting on a fresh set of gloves. "So... we're finding out the gender today, right?"

It was obvious to the parents that Blossom was attempting to keep her excitement at bay from the small shake in her voice when she said it, Buttercup laughing before she replied. "You can be excited. I'm your sister, not just your patient."

Blossom smiled, clapping her hands together as she set up the ultrasound machine. "Ok, so you two obviously want pictures and you do want me to tell you, yes?"

Buttercup nodded, clearing her throat as she laid back and pulled up her shirt, tucking in those familiar blue paper towels before the gel was squirted on her stomach and she noticed with amusement that Butch was standing this time and she knew exactly why. He was way, way too excited. She laughed, reaching for his hand and holding it gently as Blossom pressed the transducer against her bump, moving it around and clicking a few buttons on the keys and Buttercup kept her eyes on Blossom's face... she obviously knew how to read an ultrasound and she'd rather hear it from her mouth. So when the soft smile curled on her face, Buttercup gently tapped her ass with her foot.

"What is it? Blossom, I'm gonna hurt you, tell me-"

"Ok, ok!" She laughed softly, biting her lip as she froze the screen and looked at her sister and brother-in-law. "It's a girl."

Buttercup let out a happy laugh, looking up at Butch when he pulled away and she laughed again when he jumped up, giving the ceiling a high five. "Holy fuck, oh my God, babe, it's actually a girl! That's- holy fuck!"

Buttercup laughed, holding her arms open to accept a hug from Butch when he moved back towards her and or the very first time that day, she wasn't the only one crying, based on the wet feeling on her neck and the shaky laugh that fell from her husband's lips.

"Our little girl..."

* * *

Gender reveal parties were ridiculous... unless you did it safely and came up with a totally kickass plan on how to do it. So... naturally, they'd decided that a Halloween combined baby shower and gender reveal was totally kickass. Blossom and Bubbles had begged for her to do it... and she would honestly be lying if she said she didn't kind of want to do it herself.

So they'd planned for a while on how exactly they would do it... 'traditional' pink and blue didn't exactly fit the Halloween vibe, so they instead decided orange for a girl and black for a boy. Now... they already knew the gender, because yeah, they were super impatient, but the only other person who knew was Blossom and therefore, she was the one responsible for picking up the piñata with whichever color tinsel inside and... they were still excited about seeing it happen; to watch it be reaffirmed. Not to mention, Butch had come up with a cute title for the party... 'Spook or Spookette'.

And now, Halloween was there: Blossom and Bubbles having come over early to help decorate the backyard, while the guys went out to pick up the cake and pizzas. What was Buttercup doing...? Well, she was being babysat by her father and husband, because it was 'her day' and she shouldn't have to lift a finger... other than to knit, apparently. So there she was... knitting her twelfth blanket since she'd found out she was pregnant. She had a serious problem, apparently... and Butch was about to.

"Can I please do something? I'm going fucking insane." She groaned, dropping her needles into her lap and giving her husband a pleading look. "Butch, even the baby is bored."

"I am also bored, but unfortunately, the party isn't ready yet, kitten." He smiled, softly patting her lap. "So sit tight."

"I am a grown woman. Don't tell me to sit tight." She hissed.

"And yet... you listened." He snickered, shaking his head. "Listen, I get it. You're bored and kind of pissed at me because I won't let you help decorate. But your sisters want it to be a surprise, since we already know the baby is a-" He paused, looking at his father-in-law before clearing his throat. "Since we already know what the baby is. And honestly? You worked a very long shift yesterday, so yeah, you need to relax."

"I'm not relaxing! I'm suffering!" She whined. "I'm so damn bored, dude."

"So what do you want to do?"

"I dunno, something..." She huffed softly, biting her lip and looking over at Butch with a pout. 

Butch hummed, looking over at the door before he grinned, grabbing her hands and helping her up. "Come on... let's go."

"Uh... where are we going?" She blinked, one hand resting on her lower back with a soft sigh. 

"Let's go on a walk!" Butch smiled warmly, getting her coat off of the hook and gently helping her get into it. When she made a face, Butch laughed, looking down at her. "Walking around will help you feel a bit less restless... not to mention, it means we can talk a bit about the baby... get you all jazzed."

Buttercup laughed softly, nodding softly and letting him lead her outside. As far as October's went in California, this one was definitely one of the chillier ones... which is why when Butch's arm wrapped around her waist, she didn't feel inclined to push it away, instead leaning into his arm despite her recent discomfort with being touched anywhere around the middle of her body... oh the joys of pregnancy making you think you are a cow. "Was there... anything in particular you wanted to talk about?"

He shrugged, smiling down at her. "Really anything you want... I mean... the nursery is almost done. We have a name picked for baby Jojo and... we are doing just fine. No health issues, no worries really... hell, we even have your hospital bag already in the car and your birthing plan is flawless. But I am sure there is something you can think of that I haven't..."

"Well... now that you mention it..." She sighed, gently resting her temple against his shoulder as they walked down the street. "What are we going to do when the baby is born? I mean... we both work fulltime... over fulltime, actually and... I don't exactly want to have her raised by some random person that we've never met and only see her when I'm... awake after passing out from my shift."

"Yeah... I've been wondering about that. Because well... obviously after your maternity leave you want to go back and... I worry that even during those few months I'm going to miss out on a lot of things. I've honestly been thinking about asking if I can take a... slight paternity leave as well. I mean, I've earned it, I think and there are other surgical peds on staff." He explained, humming. "But after that, I think that we should bring her with us... I mean, there is a daycare for the employees and it's on your floor so... we could see her between rounds and surgeries and what not so we can see her a bit more than if she's at home with a sitter."

Buttercup considered this, nodding after a moment. "Yeah... I think that's a good idea. I just feel a little bad sometimes. Like... a hospital isn't really a place for a baby to grow up."

"As opposed to where? A prison?" He teased, laughing softly. 

"Our home." She frowned, looking up at him. "I get that a hospital is safe for a baby, but... I wish we could just... be home with her more."

Butch nodded, biting his lip. "I mean... I get it. We could maybe... split time when she gets a little older? During her more formative time... obviously every second counts, but... we can't just... stop working." 

Buttercup smiled and nodded. "Yeah... I think for a while though, the daycare is good."

Butch smiled and nodded, other baby related conversation pouring through as they walked around the block, Buttercup's previously fried nerves now soothed from the activity. When they finally circled back, it became apparent that the boys had already gotten back and so had a few of their friends, judging from the cars parked in the driveway. She felt herself getting a little anxious... but she didn't quite know why. 

Maybe it was because she and Butch had had the baby to themselves for so long... well, except for Blossom, but... something about everyone knowing made her nervous. Maybe it was from all of those videos she'd seen where people were disappointed... but she didn't know why anyone would be. It would be the first girl of the family and... and Buttercup loved their daughter! Butch did too! Nobody else mattered... right?

"Kitten... what are you thinking about?" He asked softly, a hand on her lower back. "You look like you're about to be sick."

"You're happy we're having a girl... aren't you?" She asked anxiously, gently taking his other hand. 

He blinked for a moment before a soft laugh fell from his lips and he gave her a comforting smile, hugging her softly. "I am so, so, _so_ happy that we're having a little girl... you know that. And... so will everyone else. Blossom was ecstatic. Lord knows Grandpa Professor in there will be too. It's going to be fine... we have our little Birdie and everyone should be happy for us... and if they aren't, they suck. So... let's go in and get this finished so we can spend the rest of our Halloween on the couch, snacking and watching some of our favorite movies, ok?"

".... can we start with The Nightmare Before Christmas?"

"If we can watch Gremlins next." He laughed softly, gently guiding her inside.

Almost immediately, she was pulled into the backyard by her sisters, who were talking with excitement that only came out in these sorts of situations. She heard Butch laugh softly, following behind them, hands in his pockets. They were led to their spot, greeted by family and friends as they were handed the baseball bat for later. Buttercup let herself look around, smiling at the cute decorations throughout the yard. Her sisters had outdone themselves. 

She thanked them softly as she sat down, everyone helping themselves to the food and drinks on the tables, something Buttercup was glad they had when Butch brought her a cupcake and some punch. The next hour or so was spent opening gifts, all gender neutral in greens and yellows... she couldn't help but cry a few times, especially when opening her gift from her father. She hadn't expected it... the heirloom left from her mother for her first baby. She remembered how Blossom had cried when she'd gotten hers for her son... and now she was a wreck in front of everyone, because that small stuffed frog had pulled at her heartstrings in ways she hadn't thought possible... especially when she pressed the foot and her mother's voice came out, singing a soft song to her grandchild. 

It had taken a while to calm down, which was probably why that gift was given to her last, because Butch had had to pull her to the side, holding her gently and rocking her until the tears stopped, instead letting a smile cross her face and stick as she relaxed. Next was the part she was both incredibly scared of and incredibly excited for. She picked up the baseball bat, smiling as she walked over to the pumpkin shaped piñata, smiling softly as Butch stood behind her, wrapping his hands around hers as they got prepared to swing. 

Blossom gave them the thumbs up when the camera was rolling and Buttercup gave a soft nod, smiling up at Butch before they did it, giving it one good, thorough wack that sent it sprawling across the yard as bright orange glitter, powder and paper tinsel flew through the air... and while Buttercup already knew the gender of her baby, she definitely hadn't expected the onslaught of emotions that poured through her. It seemed though, that Butch felt the same, because in seconds, he had picked her up, holding onto her and spinning her around as everyone in attendance screamed with excitement.

Buttercup had tears in her eyes, laughing breathlessly as she kissed Butch, happy and excited to see that everyone else in attendance was indeed happy it was a girl... and that made her happier than she could have imagined.

"I told you so." Butch gloated, sitting her down and gently stroking her back.

"Yeah, yeah..."

* * *

Christmas always tended to be a stressful time of year, mainly because Butch and Buttercup both tended to have far more patients than they normally did... though, this year at least, Buttercup seemed to be catching a break. Perhaps it was because God took pity on her incredibly tired, waddling seven month pregnant self... but that did not mean that God was taking pity on her already exhausted husband. Peds at Christmas was... disheartening, for sure, but at the very same time, Butch always felt relieved when he could make a kid's spirit go up, be it from sneaking a Christmas tree into a hospital room or dressing up as Santa and making rounds so the kids on the floor could make their Christmas wishes... Buttercup felt very lucky to have such a sweet guy for a husband... and father to their unborn child.

And speaking of unborn child... Buttercup was currently stressed out of her mind, standing in the kitchen and pouting as she held onto her bump and lifted her phone to her ear. Butch was at work, which meant he couldn't soothe her mind... Blossom though... her office was closed for the holiday and she was at home. Which meant she could call her sister/gynecologist as much as she damn pleased. She picked up after a few rings, Buttercup's fingers tapping on the counter in annoyance. "What's wrong with you? You always answer after two rings! This was three! Are you sick?"

She heard a soft sigh through the speaker and she made a face. Why was she sighing at her? "Buttercup, sweetie... I am enjoying my holiday with my husband and our son. I am fine. My phone was in the other room."

"Well that's dangerous. What if one of your patients were in labor?" She said snarkily.

"Are you in labor, Buttercup?"

"Uh... no?" She raised an eyebrow at her phone.

"Then I'm in the clear because you are the only patient of mine anywhere near being in labor. And you still have two months left." She heard a slight shuffle, followed by the sound of Blossom hushing Brick and then the click of the door. "Now... what can I help you with, my dear, sweet sister?"

"The baby hasn't kicked."

Another sigh and Buttercup made a soft growling sound. "We've talked about this, BC... your baby is fine. I saw you two days ago. She has a perfectly steady heartbeat, she's the right size and growing on track. She is perfectly healthy... you know that. Some babies just aren't very active. It's perfectly normal. I understand why you are scared... really, I do. But she is perfectly healthy and so are you. I have no reason to believe there is anything wrong. Now... that being said. I'm guessing Butch isn't there, is he?"

Buttercup pouted, biting her lip. Blossom knew her far too well. "He's... working, yeah. There was an accident so... mm."

She heard the sad sigh from Blossom and then the running of the sink. "For such a happy holiday... there is far too much bleakness in the air at times."

"Don't I know it... he came home the other day and didn't say anything for like an hour. Just... went and stood in the shower. Didn't... shower. Just stood under the water. It freaked me out. I mean... he told me in the end, but... damn, man, this shit is depressing at times and sometimes I really wonder if I'm doing the right thing by bringing a baby into the world when I know firsthand just how much can go wrong." Buttercup muttered as she reorganized the supplies on the counter for the fifth time, phone sandwiched between her cheek and her shoulder. Red... white... green. Mm, no. Red... green and then white. No. Green, red, white. Ok, perfect. "It's just kinda freaky."

"Yes, but Buttercup, you and I both know that you and Butch will be better parents because of what you know. And it will be ok. I felt the same way. And now... I have an almost three year old and... and Brick and I have been talking about maybe... having another baby, so... it's going to be just fine." When Buttercup didn't answer after a few seconds, Blossom spoke again. "Buttercup...?"

Buttercup made a weak little sound, sniffling. "Y-You're thinking about having another baby?"

"A-Are you crying? Honey-" Blossom laughed softly. "Why are you crying?"

"That's just so awesome. Fuck, pregnancy has made me so emotional and it's so annoying!" She laughed wetly, wiping at her eyes with her sleeve.

"Yeah, I was the same way. Brick told me a few times that his mother was very emotional when she was pregnant." A small knock was heard on Blossom's side, followed by a puddle of two year old gibberish and a soft laugh from her sister. "Mmm... mommy duty calls, Buttercup. I should go... the baby is getting fussy because apparently I have made him wait far too long for his movie. We're watching The Grinch, huh, baby?" There was a sound of kisses followed by a flurry of excited baby giggles. "Can you say 'hi' to Auntie Buttercup, sweetheart?"

There was a soft sound and then a breath, a smaller voice peeking through the speaker. "Hiiii, Auntie... I miss you."

Buttercup smiled warmly, biting her lip. "I miss you too, handsome. I'll see you tomorrow though, buddy."

Blossom laughed then and apparently the boy in question had near swooned with excitement, being let down so he could run to his daddy and scream in excitement at the upcoming Christmas dinner. "Well, BC... I highly recommend napping until Butch gets home... or maybe doing some knitting. Just something nice to get your mind off of everything until he gets back. But if you need me, you know I'm only a call away and there's always Bubs."

Buttercup snorted. "No, there isn't. You know they always have practical marathon sex on Christmas Eve... I swear, it's a miracle they don't have a zoo by now."

Blossom snickered in response, humming. "Wildly true, but still incredibly traumatizing to think about. But... anyways, if you're feeling better... I gotta go, but if you want me to stay on the phone, I can. I'll just... have to convince Brick to distract the baby with making cookies. For the third time this week."

"Nah, nah... don't worry. I'll probably take a nap. I had a hard time sleeping last night because Butch got called in and I just... yeah." She hummed, biting her lip. "I'll let you get back to it, Bloss. Love you, see you tomorrow."

"I love you too, Buttercup. I'll see you then, bye bye."

The phone beeped at her and she sighed, gently rubbing her temples before looking down at the counter and all of the cooking making supplies that she'd gotten ready after Butch had texted her and asked if she wanted to bake together when he got home. She'd gotten everything out except the cold ingredients, humming softly to herself as she shuffled around the cookie cutters. After she was finally satisfied, she walked to the living room, clicking on the television and finding some channel currently playing back to back Christmas movies before she laid down and covered up, humming as she wiggled her toes beneath the blanket and smiled.

The fact that Birdie didn't move much was concerning. Logically speaking, Buttercup knew this, but it didn't mean she had to like it. She worried sometimes that she might never get to feel that little kick... she knew Blossom would have killed to be her, as her son used to kick the hell out of her... but Buttercup didn't share the sentiment, because while it might hurt or get annoying at times, Buttercup would do almost anything to feel that little kick... a reminder of what was growing inside of her other than just her stomach growing... it would be nice, but she knew she needed to be patient.

With a soft yawn, the sleepy feeling began to wash over and she closed her eyes to the sight of Buddy the Elf walking around New York City... she snickered softly, allowing herself to relax for a while. She often had a ridiculous time relaxing, especially after she got pregnant, but she knew that stressing wouldn't help any... their daughter was just a bit lazy, it seemed and that was ok. Buttercup sighed softly to herself, getting about halfway through the Christmas classic before she became restless once again, sighing as she sat up slowly, a soft huff from the effort as she stood and cradled her belly.

Her hands rested there as they always seemed to, gently stroking the bump while she hummed along to whatever song had begun playing in her head, slowly making her way up the stairs and through that door with the small flowers painted on the outside... and then a feeling of comfort brushed over her. The soft green and yellow walls soothed her previous heartache... as did the tiny stuffed animals that lined the crib for the time being until she was ready to come home with them. The nursery was the definition of 'precious' and Buttercup loved to sit there when she was restless, in that ridiculously comfortable rocking chair as her eyes danced over each and every detail of their daughter's room.

Today though, she didn't go and sit. Instead, she let herself wander to the closet, opening up the twin doors and gently letting her fingers glide over the tiny outfits... little dresses, onesies and overalls that lined the inside. She let herself picture the sweet little girl wearing some of them... the white dress covered in pastel pink, blue and green polka dots, a green ribbon tying around the middle for her first Easter. The velvet green dress they'd bought for her first Christmas... sure, it was probably stupid to buy clothes so far in advance when they didn't know how big she'd be, but when she got stressed, shopping for the baby was incredibly therapuetic. But yeah... she could see it, the bright green eyes and the inky black curls... that precious smile and blushed up nose melting their hearts every second of every day in these tiny clothes. She was so ready to hold her.

"Buttercup? Baby? Where are you?"

"I'm in the nursery!" She called out, a soft smile on her face as she popped her head out into the hallway, cooing when she saw Butch making his way up. “Hi, handsome.”

He laughed softly, but the dark circles under his red rimmed eyes made it a bit harder to find completely genuine. However, when his arms wrapped around her, she could feel him relax and that soft breath he gave made her worries fade away a bit. "Hi... I missed you two. Any, uh... kicking?"

"Not yet..." She shrugged. "But we missed you too. Come in..."

He allowed himself to be pulled into the nursery, smiling softly as he walked over to the crib, pulling out a tiny stuffed teddy bear that had her name embroidered to the foot, gently making it dance in front of the bump, which made Buttercup laugh... which of course, made Butch laugh as well. "Well, baby Birdie... we are getting rather impatient! And so is Mister Boog! He wants to feel you dance with him!"

Buttercup snorted, shaking her head. "You seriously think you'll get her to kick by saying it's making Mister Bo-" She paused, eyes widening as she felt a hefty kick against her insides, her hand immediately falling to the spot before a second came and she laughed, her free hand moving to her mouth. "Dude, what the fuck!?"

"Oh my- please tell me that that really just happened and you aren't just like. Fucking with me." He stared in shock, almost falling forward when Buttercup grabbed his hand and rested it against her bump, another kick directed towards her father's palm. “Dude… oh, I’m fucking awesome!”

* * *

The next month and a half were spent much the same way, filled with excitement and pure joy... and many, many kicks. She hadn't realized just how right Blossom had been, because the second Birdie started kicking... she never stopped. It took a lot to get her to stop... mainly by way of sex, because well, the motions reminded babies of being rocked to sleep. And while Buttercup normally wouldn't complain, sometimes she couldn't help it, because there were times she'd be kept up until five in the morning, even when she had to work at seven in the morning and she'd end up having to wake Butch up and beg him to do it... a lot of those late nights were spent crying tears of frustration because all she wanted was to sleep. 

However... when sex wasn't just meant as a sleep aide to her and the baby... it was good. Butch spoiled her more than ever and she adored him for it... but there wasn't that much time to fuck when work got as busy as it did during the winter. Many babies and children got sick, be it from being dragged out in the cold or even from being at school with other sick children, which did not help any children with auto-immune issues... and well, people never really stopped giving birth, so there was always a baby to deliver or a pregnant parent to consult.

So with two days until Valentine's Day... Buttercup was feeling incredibly drained. She was thirty-nine weeks pregnant and working very long hours. But finally, she was getting some free time and miraculously, so was Butch. They knew they wouldn't be for the rest of the week, so they'd decided that this was the perfect time to have a nice Valentine's Day date. While she hadn't really been enjoying going out much, due to her fatigue, it seemed the baby had decided to give her some time to relax on her time off... what a sweetheart. So of course, Butch had made a reservation at her favorite restaurant and even had plans to see a movie if she felt up to it after.

It was the first time in ages that she'd really put effort into her appearance and fuck, curling her hair had become a very tedious process. Pregnancy had definitely brought out the length in her hair and nails... which she both loved and hated. As she got older, she felt that the length suited her a bit, but perhaps not... _this_ long, because about halfway through, she'd gotten incredibly tired, so she'd had to ask Butch to come and help her finish it, which he'd been happy to do for her. She'd even done her makeup... lashes, liner and all... and fuck, did Butch almost cancel their plans when she walked downstairs in that dress. 

It had been cute, for sure, because he hadn't been able to stop looking at her... not to mention how his hands didn't leave her hips for at least twenty minutes. They had finally made it to the restaurant though, holding soft conversation over the table as they waited for their food and when it came, Buttercup felt so incredibly lucky to have someone like him, who cared so much and loved her so much that he reserved the same old table in her favorite Chinese restaurant, just to be sure they'd get it. She also felt lucky at how fucking delicious the food was... until her abdomen began cramping and she was having a seriously hard time taking another bite. 

She'd been about halfway through her food when it started and she tried to keep it under wraps, because she knew Butch would freak out... but her husband knew her too well, because he reached across the table, squeezing her hand softly. "Baby... what's wrong? You look like you're in pain, man."

Buttercup swallowed, giving a nervous laugh as she pulled her hand back and stood up, gently holding onto her bump. "Y-Yeah, I'm just... I'll be right back, I have to pee, I think."

He was about to speak when it happened... a soft sound falling from her lips before there was suddenly a puddle of liquid on the floor between her legs that they both stared at in shock until Buttercup let out a desperate sound and suddenly she knew exactly why her daughter had given her a break... she was preparing to come out and torture her for God knows how long. 

Butch slowly stood up, gently putting a hand on her back and guiding her to the front of the restaurant, letting their waiter know they had to go and alerting him of the mess before handing him a hundred to cover their dinner and a tip... as well as an apology for the amniotic fluid currently on their floor. He quickly guided Buttercup to the car, helping her buckle in, because her mind was _not_ focusing on anything but the pain suddenly shooting through her lower half... and he could definitely. Suddenly, Buttercup realized how much she had been lying to her patients for the past few years. 

Her contractions were incredibly painful, but they were nowhere near close enough to be too worried. She set a timer as Butch drove, which told her they were about five minutes apart... she wanted to cry. Ok, so she was crying, because Buttercup felt like she had been punched in the spine and it hurt way, way more than she could have imagined. She was crying softly, leaning forward and pressing her arms against the dashboard, trying to keep her breathing even. 

"Baby... hey, are you ok? Should I take you to the hospital?" Butch asked, voice sounding nervous as he reached out and gently squeezed her thigh. 

"Butch, I love you so, so much, but please don't fucking touch me right now." She whined softly, sniffling. "B-But yes, h-head for the hospital, please..."

Butch pulled his hand away, biting his lip softly and nodding as he drove to the hospital. She saw his knuckles squeeze tightly around the wheel, until they turned white. She wanted to apologize or offer some sort of comfort, but she knew that he wasn't doing it because he was upset with her, it was because he was also feeling the anxiety that came with your firstborn child suddenly beginning to come out of his wife's vagina. 

Buttercup took a deep breath, swallowing as she reached out, stabbing at the button to open the window. "I-I feel so hot..." 

"I'm sorry, baby..." He said softly, clearly trying his best not to step on her toes. "I have a water in the glove box if you need it." 

She nodded, pulling the glovebox open and taking a sip of the water as her eyes swam with tears. "I-I didn't know it would hurt this bad..."

"Sweetheart..." He frowned, clearly feeling guilty. "I mean... do you want to get the epidural...?"

"W-We've talked about this!" She winced as another contraction ripped through her, a weak whine falling from her lips as she smacked her hand against the dash as she tried to steel herself. "I-I can't, I need... I need to be able to relate to the mothers' w-who choose not to get it...! Fuck!"

"There is no reason to suffer just because of your patients!" He groaned, looking at her with frustration when they got to a red light. "You're hurting, Buttercup and you shouldn't be thinking of anyone but yourself and the baby!"

"Dammit, Butch, I don't want the fucking epidural!" She shouted, crying out weakly as the contraction finally tapered off. She heard the soft sigh that came from him and she felt her heart ache, sniffling weakly as she reached out and took one of his hands. "I-I'm sorry... I-I don't wanna yell at you, I'm just... I'm scared and it hurts and I-I-I'm not _ready."_

Butch's eyes widened and he bit his lip, quickly parking when they got to the hospital and gently reaching out, cupping her cheeks and pressing their foreheads together. "Hey... baby, listen, it's ok... you don't have to apologize to me... I know you're hurting and... and you're scared. I know. And it's ok... I... I'm just worried about you, beautiful. I will support you, whether you choose to use an epidural or not, alright?"

She sniffled, nodding weakly and biting her lip softly. "O-Ok..."

"Let's go inside, ok...?" He smiled softly, gently kissing her forehead and getting out of the car. He was on her side in seconds, opening her door and unbuckling her seatbelt. "Come on, baby, let's go..."

She let him help her out of the car, sniffling softly as she leaned into his arms, trying to keep her breathing even as they walked to her door. Butch quickly asked for a wheelchair, helping her sit down so they could quickly get upstairs and get signed in. Everyone at the hospital knew them, which meant that many, many people were asking them questions and bugging her and she tried to keep her cool and be polite... until another contraction started and she very loudly told an intern to get the hell out of the way. She felt bad, because the kid was really sweet... but her vagina was being ripped open by a baby that she was guessing did in fact have her daddy's big fucking head. 

Buttercup knew she was crying, be it from the sympathetic coos of the nurses or even the way Butch was holding her hand as they walked down the hallway and into the elevator. The second they were on the elevator and away from prying eyes, Buttercup let herself cry openly, burying her face in Butch's stomach when he came to stand in front of her. She felt him playing with her hair, his fingers softly rubbing into her scalp. She relaxed a little at that, crying softly until they reached her floor, at which point she tried to compose herself, even though she knew she must have had makeup streaming down her face. 

The nurses at the desk gave soft gasps of pity when they saw her, coming around the desk to comfort her as Butch got her signed in. She felt a little overwhelmed, but comforted at the same time, especially when she saw Robin walking down the hall, a hand going over her chest when she saw her. Buttercup sniffled and held her arms out, glad to accept a hug from her. 

"How are you feeling, sweetheart...?" Robin asked as she pulled back from the hug, gently wiping some mascara from her cheek. 

"It hurts... _so_ much worse than I could have imagined..." She sniffled, biting her lip as she looked up at her friend. "I knew it was bad, but... God, this sucks..."

Robin smiled and nodded, gently patting her own abdomen. "Yeah... when I had Christine... God, I thought I was going to break. Mike's hand was bruised for a month... which by the way, maybe don't hold onto Butch's hand mid-contraction." 

She laughed breathlessly at that, nodding shakily. "Yeah, I... I can't put him out of work or... potentially risk his career because I'm in pain..." 

"Mm... yes, but please let him comfort you... he's a husband... and a daddy, so believe me, he's feeling anxious now too, ok...? You've seen it firsthand... you know how stressed they can get." She smiled, gently squeezing Buttercup's hand. "I'm gonna get you a makeup wipe from my bag, ok...?"

Buttercup laughed weakly, nodding. "Thank you, Robb..."

She nodded, walking down the hall and disappearing into one of the many breakrooms. Butch was back at her side in a moment, a bracelet in his hand before he gently took her hand, wrapping it around her wrist and snapping it closed with a click. She was then pushed to her room, thankful she'd been able to get a private one, because as many times as she'd helped women give birth... she couldn't handle being near any other women in labor right now. 

Buttercup was helped into the bed by Butch, who held her hand tentatively while he could, knowing that there was a bit of danger in a surgeon holding his wife's hand as tightly as he wanted to... but he did offer her support as she was hooked up, rubbing her shoulders and back gently as she attempted to breathe her way through contractions that were wracking her body. She felt grateful for him... the way he knew exactly when to offer the comfort and exactly when to stop touching her and offer words of encouragement instead of physical attentions. 

It was obvious in the way he stroked her hair... how he delicately wiped her makeup off when he was given the wipe... gentle and careful as he pulled her hair back so she wouldn't feel so hot. She had truly married the perfect guy and she wouldn't forget it anytime soon. And, in her mind, if this was how he treated his wife... her heart swelled at the idea of how Butch would treat their little girl... their baby.

She tried to focus on the endgame... the knowledge that anytime soon, she'd have a beautiful baby girl and the pain was worth it if it meant getting to finally hold that tiny thing in her arms. She imagined it over and over, heart full and fond as she pictured what she would look like between the painful contractions that were speeding up and getting increasingly painful. _Pale or more tan... lighter or darker green eyes... fluffy little black curls or maybe a soft wave... freckles? Dimples? And would she have Butch's pre broken nose...?_

She couldn't help but picture it, even though she didn't really care... she knew the baby would be beautiful no matter what, because well... she was her and Butch's baby and she just knew that their baby was going to be perfect... she knew it. She'd have the prettiest little girl in the world... and as another contraction ripped through her, she felt an intense urge to hit anybody who tried to tell her any different. 

It went on like that for quit some time, but she refused to look at the clock... it felt like a lifetime, that much was for sure. But after her cervix was checked for the fifth time, she knew it had been hours and that made her feel miserable. She looked over at Butch who was sitting in the chair beside her bed, making a grabby hand as her eyes watered. "c-Come here, please..."

Butch gave her an empathetic smile, standing up and taking her hand, softly rubbing his thumb over her knuckles. "How are you doing, kitten?"

"I-I'm fucking dying... this sucks... w-why didn't you make me get the epidural?" She sniffled, bottom lip wobbling. 

He laughed softly at that, gently reaching out and brushing her sweat slicked bangs away from her face. "Because, sweetheart, you tried to hit me when I suggested it when the nurse asked, remember?"

"O-Oh yeah..." She nodded weakly, leaning into his palm. "C-Can... can we cuddle...? Please?"

Butch smiled, nodding and carefully climbing into the bed next to her, spooning her softly and kissing her jaw. "I'm sorry you're hurting."

She shrugged softly, leaning into him and sighing. "How, um... h-how long has it been...?"

"Um... I dunno that you wanna know that, baby..." He murmured softly, gently stroking her arm. 

"W-Well... I mean... she said I was only six centimeters so... so I can't have been that long? Maybe they're just... checking in because I work here and they wanna... make sure I'm ok?" She said softly, trying to convince herself that was the case. 

"I wish I could say that, kitten..." He sighed softly, about to speak again when another contraction began tearing at her muscles, Buttercup's hand reaching out and clenching at one of his thighs while the other clutched at the bed railing. When it finally slowed down, Butch gently began rubbing her side, kissing her shoulder. "Oh, baby..."

"P-Please just tell me h-how long..." She whined, tears on her cheeks as she looked over her shoulder at him. "W-Wanna know..."

She saw him bite her lip and she whined. It had been a long time... now she understood why he'd closed the blinds and curtains... not just so she could try and sleep. After all, they'd gotten there at nearly ten thirty... "It's been about thirteen hours, Buttercup..."

Buttercup made a pitiful sound, whimpering as the tears came a little faster. "A-Are you kidding?"

"No, sweetheart... you know I wouldn't joke about that." He gave a comforting smile, gently shifting them so she could lay between his legs, her back pressed to his chest. "The nurse said this position might help you out a bit, when it comes to giving birth, because I'll be able to hold you..."

"I-I know that...! I'm a-!" She stopped herself, weakly wiping at her eyes and looking up at him. "I-I'm sorry, Butch, I... it hurts and I... I don't wanna yell at you, I'm sorry..."

He smiled softly, kissing her temple. "Don't worry, honey... I know... it's fine. You are in pain... but you've got this, ok? There's not a single thing you can't do... so for real, babe, you've fucking got this. And then we'll get to hold our super cute baby who better look like you or we're having another next year."

"D-Don't say that, that's not funny-" She whined through a weak laugh, pulling his arms over her gently. "We're waiting a while if we ever have another... ok?"

"Damn... does that mean no more reckless, irresponsible sex?" He groaned, meaning to make her laugh... and it did. Butch knew her pretty well... knew when she needed to laugh and exactly how to cause it. She was grateful, to say the least for her husband. They'd grown a lot together over time... from throwing dodgeballs at an alarming speed towards each other during gym... to her laying between his legs as she prepared to give birth to their baby... the world was fucking strange, for sure. 

It went on that way for a while... Butch holding Buttercup and making sure she was comfortable... though they both knew she was not at all comfortable... simply as comfortable as she could be. She laughed occasionally, when she wasn't crying out in pain and agony... before finally, after twenty-seven long, grueling hours, it was time for her to push. She remembered the relieved look on Robin's face when she checked her dilation, smiling at her friend as she patted her knee and told her it was time. 

Buttercup counted her lucky stars, head resting in the crook of Butch's neck as she felt him gently grip onto her thighs, her legs splayed and ready to go. She was terrified... she knew all of the things that could happen to her baby or herself... she knew every single thing that could go wrong... but she had to do it for her baby and pray that everything would be perfectly fine, just the way it should be. She was perfectly healthy and so was the baby... they were going to be fine. 

She didn't know how long it took... just that every push through a contraction felt like a nightmare and a bloodbath and she knew if she hadn't been crying before, she surely was now. It hurt more than anything she had ever experienced... much like getting stabbed with a hot branding tool in the lower regions and now she truly felt exactly why all of her patients had looked ready to kill when they heard the words _'just a few more'_ or _'you've got to push harder'_. She wanted to hurt Robin, for sure... not as much as she wanted to hurt Butch though. 

"T-This is all your fucking fault, Butch Jojo! You are never-! Never ever touching me again, you fucking asshole!" She sobbed, choking on her own breath as she tried to push properly, face flushed and hair sticking to her skin from sweat. "A-Another baby my ass! I-I am never doing this shit again! You can have the goddamn baby next time, you hear me!?"

Butch only smiled, kissing her temple when a contraction would end and she could stop pushing, gently smoothing her hair from her face and whispering words of encouragement... at which point she would cry a little more and apologize for being so mean... because some of the things she said... were probably not warranted, even considering, but she knew they wouldn't remember and that Butch's feelings were not at all hurt by her rather... extensive and vulgar vocabulary. 

However, all things come to an end. And with one last push and one last scream of pain, came a new set of a lungs and a loud, shattering cry in itself... and nothing hurt anymore. She couldn't focus on the pain shooting through her core when she heard that little wail... the strong lungs expelling it's frustration at being pulled from the previous warmth... but Buttercup wanted nothing more than to hold her and offer her all of the warmth in the world. 

"Congratulations, mom... it is indeed a little girl." Robin laughed softly, gently cradling her with a towel and showing her to Buttercup and Butch before gently laying her on Buttercup's chest after Butch so kindly opened up her hospital gown. 

Buttercup was crying again... though now not from the pain, rather the pure, unadulterated joy that came with holding your baby for the very first time. She was incredibly small... to the point Buttercup worried she might break her if she even breathed to hard with her on her chest... but when that tiny little hand grabbed onto Butch's finger, she knew her heart had just been stolen by this tiny little thing... and judging by the soft sob that came from Butch, he was feeling the same way. 

"Oh yeah and uh... Happy Valentines Day, you guys." Robin smiled, finally taking her for her tests and a bath, leaving the spouses to look at each other in wonder. 

"Valentines... she's a... she is a Valentines baby..." Buttercup laughed in wonder, resting her head on Butch's shoulder as she let her body finally relax, even though she knew she wasn't completely done... she would relax until it was time for the next bit of pushing and then... then she would be done. "She's... Butch, she's perfect."

He nodded, dazed clearly as he held his wife. "She... God, kitten, she's fucking... she's beautiful."

And of course, when the baby was brought back to them, perfectly clean and wrapped up in that soft yellow blanket, they took their time adoring their little bundle of happiness. A removing of her hat told them what they'd wanted to know... she did indeed seem to have Butch's inky black curls and his pre-broken nose... but other than those two things, she was all Buttercup. The same chubby little cheeks... the same dip in her cupid's bow... even that rested brow bone. She was beautiful and they'd never fallen in love so fast. 

"Our sweet Birdie May..."

* * *

Motherhood fit Buttercup well, something she had found both surprising, yet not at the same time. She was of course an obstetrician... she held and dealt with babies all day, every day... but bringing a baby home was different, sure enough. But they'd adjusted perfectly fine and their Birdie had been the perfect angel. Like she'd been in the womb, she was quiet... didn't move much unless she was pissed from a lack of food, sleep or a clean diaper. Her temperament reminded Buttercup of Butch when they were children... but they both hoped she wouldn't end up having some sort of rebellious outburst the way Butch did... Buttercup didn't think she could handle getting a call from the police at three in the morning because her daughter had been caught vandalizing bridges at twelve... oh boy. 

But for now, at a year and a half, their baby truly was their perfect mix. Those curls seemed to grow and grow... and don't even get her started on those beautiful emerald eyes... God, they were both suckers for those eyes, to the point it was almost embarrassing how often they relented to sweets before bed. But they didn't mind, because their girl was an angel and she refused to take criticism from anyone but her daughter's pediatrician... which just so happened to be her husband. So suck on that, Blossom. Keep your judgement to yourself, because Birdie was an incredibly happy and healthy baby. 

That being said... it was time for Buttercup to go and get her sweet baby. They'd developed a schedule of sorts. They'd take Birdie in with them to the hospital after they both finished their parental leaves, letting her hangout in the nursery if one of her uncles, aunts or grandfather were completely unavailable... it helped a lot, on stressful days to have her there. Because if a surgery or a delivery went awry or people were simply... shitty, they could walk right over and have some much needed baby bonding time where their sweet little princess would look at them with all of the love in the world and the sadness melted away. 

They also had a 'good luck charm'. Before every one of Butch's surgeries, Buttercup would bring Birdie down to see him and they'd spend a few minutes together unless Buttercup was in the delivery room or their daughter was with a relative... but today, they were in the clear. So Buttercup made her way to the nursery, heart swelling when her baby gave out an enthusiastic coo at seeing her, quickly toddling over to her when she walked through the door. 

"Oh! Hi, baby..." Buttercup laughed softly, scooping her up and kissing her cheek gently, her hand softly brushing over her hair. "How is your day, huh?"

"'s good, mommy..." She bumbled shyly, burying her face in Buttercup's neck, smiling as she did. "Mommy's day, good?"

Their girl was shy for sure, unless in the comfort of their home... a lot of people commented on it, because she wouldn't speak in front of them unless she had to, causing many to question whether or not she was 'slow', as well as their ability to teach their child to speak. Little did they know, their daughter was actually quite the little genius and was well on the way to her fifty word vocabulary milestone... needless to say, she was incredibly proud of her daughter and would often put people in their place for questioning her daughter's strengths, intelligence and stability all because she was shy... she'd definitely bitched out one of the interns when she'd had to bring Birdie along for rounds and the kid had said something along the lines of 'wow she doesn't speak a lot, have you gotten that checked out?'. Imbeciles. 

"Mm... that's good, angel. You should tell me all about it while we walk to see daddy, ok?" She laughed softly, walking out of the nursery after checking her out and starting her walk to the elevator. "And yes, ma'am, my day has been good, because mommy has been sooooo excited to see her little valentine." 

Birdie giggled when she felt Buttercup's fingers gently tickle her side, wiggling and holding on tightly to her mother's white coat and lavender scrubs. "Silly mommy...!"

"Mmhmm, mommy is silly, but not as silly as daddy!" She laughed softly, getting on the elevator when it was their turn. Birdie went quiet then, hiding in Buttercup's neck so as to avoid the eyes of the other people on the elevator who cooed at the sight of her. She was too stinking cute. 

"Is she yours...?" An older lady on the elevator asked her, smiling softly at her. 

"She is... we're going to see her daddy right now before he goes into surgery, huh, Birdie?" Buttercup smiled, gently squeezing her calf and smiling when the little girl nodded. "She's a bit shy..." 

"No, no, I completely understand!" She smiled. "She reminds me of my grandbaby... he's getting surgery today so I'm bringing him a toy from the gift shop before he goes in." 

Buttercup blinked. "Is your grandson... is his name Andrew Hastings?" 

The old woman blinked back and then smiled. "Yes, yes, it is! My word, I know you doctors know everything but wow... how did you know?"

"My husband is in peds." She smiled softly. "That's his surgery."

"Oh my... I'm sure you might be a bit biased, but... he is good at his job, yes?"

"Ma'am... he is the best." She assured, smiling warmly. "Your grandson should be just fine..."

It was moments like these that made Buttercup remember why she'd become a doctor in the first place. To offer comfort and help to people who needed it as best as she could... something she knew Butch felt similarly about. And as she held onto Birdie, she felt lucky. Some parents couldn't protect their children and all they could do was hope... luckily they'd been given a perfectly healthy baby and it was something she at times felt selfish about, when she saw parents going through the unimaginable... but it made her all the more grateful that they'd had her. 

"You've got a very sweet mother here, Birdie... make sure you hug her everyday, hmm?"

Birdie lifted her head then, nodding at the old lady with a shy smile. "Uh huh..." 

Buttercup's heart swelled at the sight... it was the first time she'd really interacted with a stranger outside of people who worked with her parents. She was so proud. 

When the elevator ride ended and Buttercup climbed off, she and Birdie gave the kind woman a wave, walking down the hall and Buttercup laughed when they saw Butch, Birdie squirming against her until her mother set her down. She watched as her daughter practically bolted down the hallway, jumping into her father's arms and laughing loudly when he spun her around. 

"Hi, daddy!" She giggled, wiggling happily in his arms as he hugged her close. 

"Hi, sweetheart! Have you been good today?" He grinned, peppering her chubby cheeks with kisses.

"Uh huh! Got sticker!" She cooed, holding out her hand which had a dolphin shaped stamp on it, causing Butch to laugh.

"Mm, very close, but that's a 'stamp'." He smiled, gently poking her hand. "Can you say stamp for daddy and mommy?"

She looked at her hand, humming. "St-amp." 

Buttercup laughed, walking over to the two of them and humming. "Good job, angel. Your stamp is very pretty." 

"Love stamps!" She cooed, laughing as she waved her hand in front of Butch's face.

"Mmhmm, daddy does too. Almost as much as he loves mommy." He grinned, holding onto Birdie as he leaned down and kissed Buttercup hello. "Hey, kitten. How you doing?"

"I'm good. Yourself?" She laughed softly, leaning into him when he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and they began walking down the hall. 

"Oh, baby, I'm great." He cooed. "Now that my lovely ladies are here, I should say."

"I'm 'lovey', daddy?" Birdie piped in, gently tugging at Butch's navy blue scrubs. 

"You are very, very lovely." He smiled, setting her down on a gurney in the hallway, he and Buttercup taking their seats on either side of their daughter as the conversation flowed. 

They didn't have long, but these moments were some of Buttercup's favorites... for a long time, they worried that Birdie would be left wanting for attention and love when they were so busy, but it appeared that their daughter didn't mind one bit... though they knew it probably wouldn't stay that way for forever, at which time, they would allow themselves to slow down and work less so they had more time with their daughter. But for now, they found themselves spending all of their free time with her and that was wonderful as it was.

Birdie always did get a little sad when they had to go, but after an ample amount of hugs and kisses, the little girl was happy and eager to see them on the next break. And of course... one could not forget the tradition they'd started before Butch's surgeries, one they were performing now.

Birdie was back in her mother's arms and ready to be taken upstairs, Butch leaning forward and kissing her on the cheek before holding his hand up with a bright grin. "What do you say, angel? Littlest high five in the world?"

She giggled, nodding and softly smacking her hand against Butch's. "Wittlest high five in the world!"

"That's my girl! Woo!" He laughed warmly, smiling softly at his wife. "We truly did make the perfect baby."

"Aww, don't say that... the other ones could hear you."

He blinked. "I... what? Are you-"

"No. Not yet. But... I've been thinking about it and if you're ready for-"

"I'm ready! Oh, baby, I'm beyond ready! Sign me up, yes!" He nodded excitedly, holding his fists up in excitement. "Hell yeah!"

"Butch! Watch it!" She scolded, but she couldn't stop the laugh falling form her lips as she kissed him goodbye. "See you at the end of our shifts, dork."

"You too, hottie." 

* * *

At one point in her life, Buttercup had found holidays like Valentines day pointless and annoying... and then when she met Butch it didn't seem so bad... and of course, when they had their beautiful little girl on a February 14th, she fell even more in love with the holiday. It really was the holiday of love, in her opinion, because it gave her one of the best things in her life...

Which of course meant she always tried her best to make it special for both her daughter and her husband. Birdie was two years old today and she had the perfect plan... the perfect gift for both of them. They had had a birthday party in the early afternoon so the rest of the family could attend but be free for the evening for whatever plans they had for the holiday... because as much as she knew her sisters and her daughters uncles loved to spoil her, she also knew they loved spending quality time with their respective spouses and that was something Buttercup definitely understood.

So there she was, standing in their kitchen and decorating the cake that was probably too large for the intimate celebration, but they were a family who liked sweets and well... today was special, for sure. She took great care in piping every single buttercream flower, hips swaying softly to the music playing in the living room from whatever movie Butch had haggled the children into watching so they would stay out of her kitchen while she worked on the cake she'd been working on for over three hours, because the kids had sneaky little hands and Buttercup, as much as her daughter was worth the effort, would not be starting on another cake from scratch and would instead go to the bakery to pick something up if anything happened to this two tiered masterpiece. 

Staying out of the kitchen was apparently on the list for the kids today, parents surrounding them on all sides... the same could not be said for Butch, who kept finding himself wandering into the room and making small talk with her and keeping her company every once in a while as she asked about the decorations and if he confirmed the pizza order for lunch. The answer was always in a positive form, something she was glad for, because becoming a mother had definitely made Buttercup a stickler for details when it came to anything remotely surrounding their daughter and her birthday happiness. 

"Everything is ready whenever you are, kitten." He said one last time, smiling as he sat the pizza boxes on the counter and moved to stand behind her, gently wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her neck. "Almost done in here...? Birdie's been asking for you."

"She has...? You could have let her come in here." Buttercup hummed, eyes not leaving the cake as she placed yet another flower onto the top, gritting her teeth when it almost fell off, grinning in satisfaction when it finally found it's rightful place on top of the cake, yellow and perfectly crafted as their daughter had asked... she really liked yellow and frogs... and also ducks. The girl loved ducks. 

"You said no kids in the kitchen, mama." He laughed, shaking his head as he reached over, swiping the frosting from the bowl onto his finger and licking it clean. "Mm... gets better every time."

She snorted, rolling her eyes. "I said no kids in the kitchen because I had assumed that the adults could keep their grubby fingers to themselves, but I see I was wrong. Our daughter is capable of keeping her hands to herself, miraculously."

"Hey, don't be rude, 'cups. Your man is hungry. You're starving your husband." He cooed, getting more frosting and this time 'accidentally' getting it on the column of her throat on his way back to his mouth. "Mm... would you look at that. Let me just clean up my mess."

Buttercup bit her lip, attempting to ignore the feeling of Butch's tongue sliding over her skin, cleaning the frosting he'd left there away. "I feed you enough, you greedy dog."

"Huh. A dog? I dunno, I like to think of myself more like a turtle or maybe a snail." 

"I'm glad you know you're slow." She teased, shivering when he made a teasing growling sound in her ear and pulling her in by the hips. "Butch..."

"You said I was like a dog, babe, I'm just trying to give you what you want."

"What I want is to not want you to fuck me on the counter while I'm trying to finish making our daughter's birthday cake." She snorted, rolling her eyes. "Can you at least try and be patient?"

"Mm. Fine. I will wait. But only until it's Birdie's bedtime and then that ass is mine.: He wiggled his brows at her, kissing her cheek again and watching as she finished the cake up. "Should I rally the troops to the dining room?"

Buttercup nodded with a smile, pulling the candles out of the drawer and sticking them into the cake, waiting until Butch gave her the okay before she lit them and carefully made her way through the door to the dining room, watching as the candles sparkled and so did Birdie's eyes. The two year old seemed to be bouncing in her seat, hands clapping together as everyone began singing happy birthday to her, giggles falling from her mouth from all of the excitement. 

She and Butch stood on either side of her, placing the cake down and helping her blow out the candles, kissing her cheeks when she finished making her wish, a smile on Buttercup's face when she heard the familiar click of a camera, because Bubbles thankfully seemed to always be taking pictures of sweet and intimate moments. Everyone was given some pizza as Buttercup cut the cake into slices, making sure the kids all got smaller pieces, tongue stuck between her lips as she carefully made sure to give her daughter the ducky shaped frosting that sat proudly on the cake, watching as her eyes lit up even more, singing praises to her mother... she was glad Bubbles had seemingly taken pictures of the cake before it was practically torn to shreds by the children all begging for slices with flowers and whatever caught their eyes. 

The extended family stuck around for another hour or two before leaving, presents littering their living room until Buttercup asked Butch to start taking them upstairs to Birdie's bedroom and then to come back down so they could have their own intimate celebration for both the holiday and Birdie's birthday. Buttercup had already given their daughter a bath to rinse away the tomato sauce off her face and the frosting from her hair, the two now sitting on the living room floor as Buttercup gently brushed through the silky black curls, only helped by the wet brush and the ever so lovely green apple detangling spray, because she definitely had her daddy's curls. 

"Are my two lovely ladies ready for more gifts and fun?" He called as he came out, gifts in hand for both his wife and daughter. He sat on the floor with them, smiling as he gently tapped the corner of the green bow currently holding their daughter's hair in place. 

"Uh huh!" Birdie nodded happily, looking up at him excitedly as she held her hands out for the gift. When Butch set it in front of her, the parents watched as she demolished the wrapping paper, laughing when she unwrapped a large stuffed duck with a raincoat and boots. "What's his name, daddy?"

Butch laughed, gently pulling her into his lap and humming as he appraised the duck. "Mm... Mister Quacky P. Boots?"

"I love him!" She squealed, shaking the duck and making it do a little dance. "Thank you!"

Buttercup laughed fondly as she took her own gift from Butch, smiling softly when she opened it to find a card and a box of her favorites snacks, as well as a sweater that boldly stated 'Mama Bird'... she couldn't help but laugh a bit more at that, leaning in to kiss his cheek before standing and retrieving her own gifts for the two green eyed beauties looking back at her. She set the gifts down and carefully got back on the floor, heart racing a little as she waited for them to open them. 

She had them go at the same time, Birdie pulling out a onesie that said 'little' and a shirt her own size that said 'big'... naturally, she assumed that it was for one of her dolls, but Butch... Butch let out a breath when he opened his own gift, smiling down at the stick in his hand and the three sonogram photos that lay beneath it in the heart shaped box. 

"Babe... are you for real?" He grinned, looking at her and Buttercup watched as Birdie's eyes moved to her daddy's face, looking confused.

"Daddy...?"

"Buttercup, are you pregnant?" He laughed breathlessly, her heart melting when understanding spread over her daughter's face. 

"Mommy's having a baby?"

She bit her lip softly as she nodded, moving over to the two of them and letting them surround her in hugs. It was a day full of kisses... many pressed to Buttercup's abdomen as Birdie ran a million questions out of her mouth per minute. It was incredibly charming... and so was the way Butch was looking at her. It was the same way he always did... like she was his world, but in moments like these, it felt a lot warmer than it normally did, to the point her cheeks hurt from how much she was smiling. 

Buttercup had thought for a very long time that perhaps domestic life was not for her... she'd been rough and tumble... 'boyish' interests and a distaste for dresses... and all of that had faded away as she got older and realized that she didn't have to detest 'girly' things... that she was just as much a woman as her sisters were, whether she played soccer or joined the cheerleading squad... and with Butch, domesticity had come easy. The fact of the matter was that Buttercup Jojo was a kickass mom and wife and she wouldn't trade it for the world... and in some way, she felt like she'd been waiting all her life to feel like that... she'd been waiting for them. 


End file.
